Search Documents

The panic bars (and associated linkages and electrical circuitry) that are defined in this document are a machine operator-actuated control for the emergency deenergization of the tram motors on self-propelled, electric and diesel face equipment; including haulage equipment such as shuttle cars. There are nine basic types of panic bars (and several variations) that are recommended in this document, but all of the panic bars arc characteristically of the 'fire door" type that is frequently encountered on outside exit doors of many public, and some commercial buildings. It is also the intent of the following panic bar designs that, when emergency brakes arc added to the face equipment machinery for which they arty required, that they be designed and hooked up so that actuation of the panic bar will result in automatic application of the emergency brakes (immediately following the deenergization of the tram motors). The following panic bar design requirements are a restatement of the proposed requirements defined in the Federal Register, requirements cited in "Guidelines for the Design and Installation of Devices for Deenergization of Self-Propelled Electric Face Equipment/Automatic Emergency Brakes" by C. E. Lester and J. D. Greenhalgh of MESA, and Bendix recommendations that were formulated as a result of discussions with personnel at the various machine manufacturers and underground coal mines that we surveyed, discussions with G. I. Judy (our consultant), etc:

Jan 1, 1974

By G. L. Neumann

The Guymard mine in Orange County, N. Y., is reported to have been discovered in 1862 and mined until 1876, producing 10,000 tons of lead and zinc ore. The property was examined by an engineer of the Bureau of Mines in 1948. Development work was done by the Bureau in April and May 1949 and March 1950. During these two periods four drill holes totaling 2,090 feet were completed. The mineralized sections of the core were sampled and assayed.

Jan 1, 1952

By S. W. Zoldok

[The Bull Valley iron-ore district lie,; in the northern part of Washington County, Utah, approximately 30 airline miles southwest of the highly productive Iron Springs area (fig. 1). Iron-ore occurrences in the district have been known for many years, but they have not been mined, largely because of the inaccessibility of the area. The Bureau of Mines established a development project in the Bull Valley district in September 1941. Two separate areas, the Pilot and the Cove Mountain, were investigated. The work was planned to increase iron-ore reserves for steel production in the Western United States. During the project period three diamond-drill holes aggregating 1, 000 feet were completed (fig. 2). The program also included 6 408 linear feet of surface trenching and 171 feet of underground work (figs. 2 to 8, inclusive). Analyses were made of 460 samples from the diamond-drill holes and surface and underground excavations. The results of the analyses are given in tables 1, 2, 4, and 5, and the logs of the diamond-drill holes are shown in table 3. Field. work was completed in September 1942.]

Jan 1, 1953

By M. J. Ferrante

Relative enthalpies of high-purity disodium hexatitanate (Na2Ti6013) were measured at the Bureau of Mines to provide new thermodynamic data needed to advance the technology of materials. Measurements from 298.15 to 1,478 K were made by drop calorimetry with a copper block. Tabulated values are listed for the standard relative enthalpy, heat capacity, en-tropy, and Gibbs energy function between 298.15 and 1,500 K. Enthalpy data are also given in equation form and are combined with thermodynamic data from the literature to derive values of standard enthalpies of formation, Gibbs energies of formation, and logarithms of the equilibrium constants of formation. Similar calculations were made for the reaction of Na20 with Ti02.

Jan 1, 1986

By John H. Hild

The topography of the Jamestown fluorspar area is rough and ranges from 6,400 to 8,000 feet in altitude. Some fluorspar was mined as early as 1870, but mining really did not begin in earnest until 1940, and up to July 1947 it is estimated that 272,500 tons of fluorite was mined and milled. In 1947 the General Chemical Co. was mining fluorite and milling it in a 200-ton-a-day mill at Valmont, 7 miles east of Boulder, and the Ozark-Mahoning Co. was milling ore in a 100-ton-a-day mill at Jamestown, using ore mined, by H. M. Williamson & Son. These fluorite deposits comprise veins in a granite country rock. The Bureau of Mines drilled eight holes, aggregating 2,579.1 feet, on the Blue Jay vein; four holes, aggregating 1,434 feet, on the Chancellor; and one 350-foot hole on the Nations Treasure. Fluorite of a minable grade and width was found in 10 of the holes drilled. In this report the location and accessibility, physical, features and climate are described and a brief history of the district is given. The deposits and character of the ore and sampling and analyses are described, mine workings are outlined, and work performed by the Bureau of Mines is summarized. Diamond drill logs are shown in appendix I, and 'Sample analyses are tabulated in appendix II.

Jan 1, 1949

By Richard L. Fowler

Study and development of sensing techniques and sensors were performed to aid shuttle car drivers in detecting obstacles and in guiding the car along the face haulage route. Microwave, acoustic, and optical sensing techniques were considered as part of the feasibility study for obstacle detection. Various guidance techniques, including wire-following and rib-ranging were investigated. Active optical sensing was selected for obstacle detection to obtain the beam coverage and sharp angular cutoff characteristics required within the packaging limitations defined by the shuttle car configuration. Rib-ranging guidance was selected to achieve a completely self-contained shuttle car system which responds to the existing mine geometry without need for wires, stripes, or other path defining devices. Extensive hybrid computer simulation runs were performed to evaluate various guidance techniques during the feasibility study. Subsequent simulation runs were performed to establish parameter values for the rib-ranging guidance system. The obstacle detection and guidance system was designed, fabricated and installed on a standard shuttle car. The system satisfied all applicable permissibility requirements of Schedule 2G. An experimental permit was issued to Bendix for operation in an underground coal mine. System evaluation tests were performed first above ground at the Bendix Research Laboratories. The simulation model was validated by these runs. Final testing was performed underground in an operating mine with an experienced shuttle car driver. All sensors successfully demonstrated the predicted performance capability during underground face haulage tests. Dust did not impair system performance and lens cleaning was not required during working shifts. Further development is required to achieve the desired obstacle detection performance. Closed loop steering control with manual override is recommended for the lateral guidance system. The guidance system should be an invaluable aid to low-coal shuttle car drivers where continuous mining machines are utilized.

Jan 1, 1973

By W. W. Adams

"During the calendar year 1925 the Bureau of Mines received from the operators of several hundred mines and quarries complete accident records covering deaths, permanent disabilities, and “lost time” temporary injuries. Some of the companies, - those that participated in the National Safety Competition-also furnished information showing the number of man-hours of work performed during the year. With these two types of information it was possible to calculate the accident-frequency and accident-severity rates of the different plants. Complete and comparable reports of accidents and Man-hours of “exposure” were received from 34 underground metal mines, 59 underground coal mines, 15 underground mines producing other nonmetallic minerals, and 102 open quarries or open-pit mines. The figures in the table appended to this report show the accident severity rates and other data for each of the 34 underground metal mines and for the group as a whole. It is proposed to publish similar figures for the other classes of mines and quarries at an early date.The 34 metal mines listed in the table are situated in Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota., and Utah; they employed 5, 925 men, an average of 174 men per mine, including employees above-ground as well as underground. With but few exceptions, 50 men was the minimum number of employees in any mine. The total period of employment or “exposure” at the 34 mines was 14,612,607 man-hours, an average of 2,466 hours per man, or the equivalent of 308 work-days of eight hours for each employee. Accidents resulted in 15 fatalities, 9 permanent disabilities, and 1,950 temporary “lost time” injuries (causing disability exceeding remainder of shift). The fatal and nonfatal injuries represented 132,575 days of disability. Thus the accident frequency rate for the group was 135 accidents per million hours and the accident severity rate was 9.073 days lost per thousand hours of 1 “exposure”. The severity rates ranged from 0.227 to 88.653, while the ·range of the accident-frequency rates was from 16. 6 to 307 .4. In compiling the accident severity rates shown in the table, all accidents caused by explosives were weighted at twice the number of days actually lost, as one of the purposes of the National Safety Competition was to stress the prevention of accidents caused by explosives."

Sep 1, 1926

By W. J. Long

As a part of the strategic mineral exploration program, examining engineers of the Bureau of Mines collected samples of ore from four manganese properties in Yavapai, Yuma, Maricopa, and Mohave Counties, Ariz. As all of the ores were too low in grade to be acceptable by manufacturers of ferromanganese beneficiation studies were made to determine the amenability of the ores to concentration.

Jan 1, 1948

By Joseph J. Wallace

1. The Pittsburgh is the most important bed in Washington County from the standpoint of present production and recoverable reserves. 2. Known measured and indicated reserves in all beds, based on a minimum thickness of 14 inches and 1,800 short tons per acre-foot of coal in place, are estimated at 4,181 million short tons as of January 1, 1954. Of this total, 4,132 million short tons is in beds 28 inches and more thick. Areas in some beds were omitted from the estimate because available data relative to the bed characteristics are too meager for making an estimate that conforms with the definitions of measured and indicated coal adopted for this study. Should future drilling or development prove reserves in these areas, such reserves should be added to the total estimated reserves.

Jan 1, 1955

By Maria I. DeRosa

This Bureau of Mines report describes the Automated Breathing Metabolic Simulator and its hardware and software systems with emphasis on the role exerted by the software program subroutines in controlling the hardware mechanisms during the simulation of man's respiratory and metabolic functions.

Jan 1, 1978

By W. W. Graff

This paper describing the mining practices at Mine, No. 4 on the Marquette range, Michigan, is one of a series of articles on mining methods and practices in various mining districts in the United States. Mire No. 4 is located in the Swanzy district, in the southern end of the Marquette range, about 3 miles from Gwinn, Mich. The Swanzy district is an isolated ore-bearing formation, and Mine No. 4 is at the extreme southeastern end.

Jan 1, 1930

By Mark R. Pettitt

After a long series of laboratory and in-mine tests, a cost- effective, mineworthy, reduced-noise auger miner cutting head was de signed, fabricated, and field-tested by Wyle Laboratories under contract to the Bureau of Mines. Compared with standard auger cutting heads, the new heads reduced noise by 10 dBA at the jacksetter's position and by 6 dBA at the operator's position. This report contains detailed fabrication instructions, including engineering drawings, that show how a standard auger cutting head can be modified to produce a reduced-noise auger.

Jan 1, 1984

By George H. Holmes

This paper is one of a series being prepared by the Minerals Division of the Bureau of Mines on mining and milling methods and practices at various mines in the United States. It describes such methods at the Caselton mine of the Combined Metals Reduction Co. The Caselton mine and mill are in secs. 28 and 29, T. 1 N., R. 67 E., M. D. B. & M., Lincoln County, Nev., about 10 miles by paved highway south- west of Pioche, Nev. (fig. 1). the history of the district and company This circular summarizos operations, describes physical features, labor and living conditions, the geology, ore deposits, and the ore. Prospecting and exploration methods are outlined, and shaft sinking, drifting and crosscutting, and raising are covered under development methods. In the soction on mining mothods, stoping and slushing are discussed, following which are descriptions of underground transportation, hoisting, ventilation, drainage and sampling, and surveying. The surface and crushing plants are described, and milling practices are presented in dotail with explanation of the filter plant and assay office. Safoty practices and the company organization are described in the concluding sections of the circular.

Nov 1, 1950

By Lee M. Manna

This report summarizes the program to design, fabricate, install and preliminary test a pneumatic braking system for 10-ton mine haulage cars. Major arrangement drawings are reproduced, pneumatic schematics, parts list and actual developed costs. Recommendations as to system improvements are made.

Jan 1, 1977

By G. M. Kintz

From 1895 to 1932, inclusive, 1,0163/ men were killed in and about New Mexico coal mines. Of these, 473 (approximately 47 percent) were killed in the 17 explosions listed in this paper. The second largest explosion of record in the United States, in so far as fatalities are concerned, occurred in New Mexico. The data in this circular were taken from publications of the United States Bureau of Mines and published annual reports of the State inspector of coal mines of New Mexico. The tables included are complete only with regard to major disasters. The Bureau of Mines considers as a major disaster one in which 5 or more men are killed. A few minor disasters are included, however.

Jan 1, 1934

By W. H. Carrington, A. C. Richardson

"INTRODUCTION The Powhatan mine of the Franklin Coal Mining Co. is located in the western part of Jefferson County, Ala., on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, 40 miles west of Birmingham. The Mary Lee bed at this point yields coal with fair coking qualities, but with an ash content as mined so high as to prohibit its use in the production of metallurgical coke. At present the entire output of the mine is washed in single-compartment jigs and marketed as locomotive and domestic fuel.Figure 1 gives a typical seam section of the Mary Lee bed at the Powhatan mine. This section shows that the bed is divided by rock partings into three benches. In many parts of the mine, particularly in the older workings the roof rock is so weak that it can not be held without excessive timbering. This condition has restricted the operation in many parts of the mins to the middle and bottom benches of coal. The 6 inches of draw rock between the top and middle benches is very strong and makes an excellent roof requiring only a normal amount of timbering to support it. In the newer workings of the mine the character of the rock above the top bench is strong and it is believed that in the future it will be possible to work all three benches. This study was undertaken for the purpose of determining the washing characteristics of the Mary Lee bed at Powhatan and the effect on these characteris-tics of including or omitting the coal from the top bench. It was also the purpose of the study to show whether it would be possible to produce a washed product sufficiently low in ash to be used for the manufacture of metallurgical coke. This paper is one of a series of reports on the washability of Alabama coals which is being prepared by the U. S. Bureau of Mines and tin University of Alabama. With the cooperation of the coal producers of Alabama. It contains the results of screen sizing and float-and-sink tests of representative samples of run-of-mine coal, and the results of table tests on the minus 3/16-inch sizes of the raw coal."

Apr 1, 1933

By D. A. Wilson

A laboratory method for processing lead battery scrap has been developed that eliminates virtually all of the S02 emission that normally is produced when a reverberatory or blast furnace is used. The method employs a hydrometallurgical step to convert the PbS04 to PbO and CaS04 by mixing the battery scrap with a slurry of Ca(OH)2. The reaction is exothermic and goes to completion in 2 to 5 minutes at room temperature. The dried product is mixed with a KC1-NaC1 flux and carbon and reduced at 6500 C. A minimum charge ratio of 3 parts of carbon to 100 parts of battery scrap is required for reduction. The process produces lead reductions and recoveries as high as 97.0 and 94.9 percent, respectively. The KCI-NaCl flux is recovered using a standard counter-current water leach followed by evaporation.

Jan 1, 1976

By Uldis Jansons

This report evaluates the economic Mining feasibility of four selected mineral deposit types that can be anticipated to be found in (d)(2) lands in the western Brooks Range, Alaska. The major assumption made for this study is the availability of a rail system for transporting equipment and concentrates for the base metal mines. Commodity prices used are those in existence in July 1976. Mine models were established based on known deposits and then evaluated. A lead-zinc-silver-barite deposit for which grades were available but ore reserves were assumed would require approximately 25% higher ore grades or higher metal prices to yield a 15% discounted cash-flow rate of return an the investment if mined at a rate of 10,000 tons per day open pit methods. Large copper-zinc mineral deposits could be mined economically at rates either of 5,000 tons per day underground or 10,000 tons per day by open pit methods. A high-grade copper deposit require a copper price of over one dollar ryes pound to yield an economic profit to be mined at 2,000 tons per day by underground methods. A small high-grade gold underground mine would require a gold price of about $295 per ounce to yield a 20% discounted cash-flow rate of return on investment if all new mine equipment were used and if existing labor rates were paid: Enterprising mining groups operating as partnerships might be able to operate this mine profitably at a gold price of about $152 per ounce, perhaps slightly less.

Jan 1, 2012

By C. H. Fisher

[Many methods of analyzing tar oils for their tar acid and base content have bun employed in connection with both academic and. industrial investigations. Most of these analytical procedures are based on the diminution in volume caused by extraction with alkali and mineral acids (contraction method), although other methods haves been employed.4/ In many instances the adoption of an analytical method was not preceded by adequate study, and, as a consequence, the literature, on this subject is conspicuous for its contradictory claims and recommendations. It has bin shown in the, case of certain synthetic solutions5/ that large errors may result if the analysis is carried out by simple extraction with alkali and mineral acids.]

Jan 1, 1936

By Ludwig Schmidt

Steel tanks often corrode rapidly in oil fields where the gas produced with crude petroleum contains an appreciable quantity of hydrogen sulphide. In many instances working tanks have been discarded after only six months of service because of failure induced by corrosion. Aluminum has been used for some time in the fabrication of certain equipment incidental to the handling of oils containing hydrogen sulphide gas in solution, and has exhibited no serious corrosive action. These uses indicated that aluminum tanks might be equally effective in counteracting hydrogen sulphide corrosion. Consequently, in the spring of 1928, an all-aluminum stock tank of 500 barrels capacity and a "composite" tank of equal capacity, having a steel bottom and bottom ring and an aluminum top and top ring, were placed in service on the State-Lassiter lease of the Gulf Production Co. in Crane County, Tex. These tanks were under observation for one year, the test being sponsored by the Gulf Production Co., the Aluminum Co. of America, rind the Parkersburg Ric and Real Co. The results of this preliminary test sustained the belief that aluminum is highly resistant to hydrogen sulphide gas and likewise indicated the type or grade of aluminum which could be most economically used for lease tankage. However, in this preliminary test the Wake were not subjected to contact with the large quantities of highly concentrated brines such as often are associated and produced with crude oil. Therefore, it was suggested by representatives of .the Aluminum Co. that additional tests be made to include production conditions in which large quantities of brine would be handled, for past experience had shown that aluminum often is susceptible to the corrosive action of brines.

Jan 1, 1931