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By Martin J. Gavin

The results of investigations of the oil-shale resources of the United States were first published by the United States Geological Survey in 1915.1 Other reports 2 have followed. These reports, investigations by private individuals and corporations, and the beginning of the development of an oil-shale industry in this country have aroused considerable interest in the possibilities of these shales as a commercial source of hydrocarbon oils. The Bu- . reau of Mines bas appreciated these possibilities, and since 1916 one or more of its engineers have given all or part of their time to investigations relating to the treatment of oil shales. A short pamphlet a containing general information on the possibilities of oil shale in this country, particularly the shales of the Rocky Mountain district, has already been published. This pamphlet gives methods for assaying the shales of oil and ammonia and contains a bibliography for the use of those desiring to search the literature.

Jan 1, 1924

New York Meets first Wednesday after first Tuesday of each month. . DAVID H. BROWNE, Chairman. JOHN H. JANEWAY, Vice-Chairman. . F. E. PIERCE, Secretary, 35 Nassau St., New York, N. Y. P. A. MOSMAN, Treasurer. LEWIS W. FRANCIS. BENJAMIN B. LAWRENCE. Boston Meets first Monday of each winter month. HENRY L. SMYTH, Chairman. ALFRED C. LANE, Vice-Chairman. HENRY A. WENTWORTH, Secretary-Treasurer, 60 India St., Boston, Mass. A. H. EUSTIS, F. G. STANTIAL. Columbia Holds four sessions during year. Annual meeting in September or October. STANLY A. EASTON, Chairman. FREDERIC KEFFER, Vice-Chairman. LYNDON K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary-Treasurer, P. O. Drawer 2154, Spokane, Wash.

Jan 2, 1916

By Laurence G. Trudell

Geology and oil-yield data are presented for a 58-square-mile area encompassing the U.S. Department of the Interior oil-shale leasing program tracts in the western Washakie Basin, Sweetwater County, Wyo. Lithology and oil yields of samples from three Bureau of Mines coreholes are evaluated and correlated with Kinney Rim surface sections measured and sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey. Minable sections of oil shale averaging up to 25 gallons of oil per ton crop out on Kinney Rim in the Laney Member of the Green River Formation. Thick oil-shale sections in the Laney Member that average 15 gallons per ton represent 155 million barrels of oil in place per square mile. In the lower part of the Green River Formation the Tipton Shale Member contains a 20-to 40-foot section averaging 15 gallons per ton. Beds of high-volatile C bituminous coal up to 6 feet thick are present in intertongued parts of the lower Green River Formation and upper Wasatch Formation.

Jan 1, 1973

By Thomas K. Matson

The coal reserve base in the Western United States is presented for coalbeds amenable to extraction by underground mining methods. The Federal Bureau of Mines has abstracted data on the quality and quantity of coal resources/reserves from numerous State and Federal publications and modified such data as necessary to allow computer storage and retrieval. Tonnages are compiled by State, county, coalbed, and rank, and allotted to sulfur categories by statistical apportionment. The coal reserve base in those States west of the Mississippi River, amenable to underground mining, is estimated to be approximately 131 billion tons. Of this total, about 30.8 billion tons are bituminous coal, 100.2 billion tons are subbituminous coal, and 126.4 million tons are anthracite. Lignite is not considered for underground mining in this report. Included in this report is a glossary of terms applicable to a classification system for coal resources and reserves as jointly defined by the Bureau of Mines and U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of this system is to provide for direct comparison or compilation of various resource/reserve data.

Jan 1, 1975

By H. M. Urban

This paper, one of a series being prepared for and published by the United States Bureau of Mines on methods and costs of mining at various mica mines in the United States, describes the methods now in use in the principal mica mines of the Southern Appalachian States. Those papers are designed to disseminate technical information regarding the methods used. The cost tabulations represent operating expenditures only and not total costs. It is recognized that publication of total costs might in some instances cause embarrassment to individual producers as well as to the industry as a whole. On the other hand, operating costs are essential to the technical discussion and study of methods employed. The attention of the reader is specifically called to this differentiation in order that no misunderstanding of the scope of the cost tabulations shall ensue.

Jan 1, 1932

Since 1955 Gaspe Mines has produced 144 million tonnes of ore, averaging 0.87% Cu, mined from two open pits and underground workings. In 1994, four exploration drill holes discovered a buried porphyry/skarn Cu-Mo deposit at depths of between 1000 m and 1700 m below the top of Porphyry Mountain. The mineralization and alteration associated with the Porphyry mountain quartz monzonite does not outcrop. A total of 19,500 m of drilling in 12 drill holes has outlined 200 million tonnes grading 0.73% Cu and 0.08% Mo. Mineralization occurs as veins and disseminations of chalcopyrite and molybdenite. Drilling and feasibility studies continue.

Jan 1, 1998

By M. Duane Lackey

Electric drives hire done outstanding job in many-fields that are related to the mining industry. The equipment that is offered for electric-trucks was developed from the traction equipment which is used on the diesel electric locomotive. Rotating equipment available for use on electric trucks is identical in principle to that which is used on these locomotives. In as far as it is practical, similar controls are used. Another descendent of the diesel electric locomotive can be found in the oil well drilling industry, Here, locomotive traction motors and. electric controls have been modified to fit the particular requirements of the drilling industry, One 2400 H.P. diesel electric drilling rig drilled a 24,000 Ft. well in West Texas with an electrical maintenance cost in the order of 7¢ per hour This was a new rig and the costs are less than the average maintenance costs will be for the life of the equipment, Even soy since it took one (1) year to drill this well, this 7¢ per hour has real significance. Electric shovels use a similar type of electrical equipment; they too have shown real savings over the equipment they replaced. Since electric drives have done so well, in other fields, they warrant consideration for use in high horsepower, large capacity trucks.

Jan 1, 1961

By A. Tsubouchi, F. Noguchi, T. Takasu

"A high current density operation is desired to improve the productivity in copper electrorefining. However, a lot of problems still remain such as passivation at anode, dendritic deposition at cathode and impurity behavior during the electro refining.Effects of the current densitY on the morphology of copper deposition on the cathode, and passivation at the anode were investigated at various fluid velocity of electrolyte in the present study.Although a granular appearance of the copper deposition was obtained with increasing high current density, it was depressed by an increase of the fluid velocity of the electrolyte. A uniform deposition on the cathode was also observed when the fluid velocity of the electrolyte become higher. It was ascertained that passivation at the anode was suppressed by circulating electrolyte during electrolysis. INTRODUCTIONIt is desirable to operate at high current density in copper electrorefining in order to improve plant productivity without enlarging the size of electrodes(1). However, there are many problems in copper electrorefining at high current density with the usual commercial practice, for example, anode passivation, dendritic deposition and an increase of impurities in the cathode.In general, it is effective to agitate the electrolyte in order to suppress these problems(2). Smith et a1.(3) have performed electro refining experiments at various current densities in the range of 8 to 32 Aldm2 and at electrolyte fluid velocities in the range of 40 to 120 mlmin, and they obtained well consolidated, void free copper even at high current density in a high electrolyte velocity. However, they did not discuss the recovery ratio and the passivation behaviour at the anode. Walsh et a1.(4)(5)(6) experimented with the rotating cylinder electrode, and ascertained that electrolysis can be carried out at high current densities under the condition of pure electrolyte.With regards to anode passivation, there are several papers by previous workers(7)(8). Our group ascertained the process of producing anode slime during electrolysis(9). However, these experiments were carried out without forced circulation of electrolyte. Therefore, in the present study, to solve these problems, we electrolyzed at current densities in the range of 4 to 50 Aldm2 with circulating electrolyte in the range of 0 to 48 mlrnin. The effect of electrolyte fluid velocity on the surface morphology of deposited copper at cathode and passivation at anode were investigated when electrolysis were carried out with circulating electrolyte at high fluid velocity and at high current density."

Jan 1, 1997

Jan 1, 1997

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 are 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 are added to the face equipment machinery for which they are 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 Brake s II 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. L. Judy (our consultant), etc:

Jan 1, 1974

New York Meets first Wednesday after first Tuesday of each month. DAVID H.-BROWNE, Chairman, JOHN H. JANEWAY, Vice-Chairman. F. E. PIERCE, Secretary, 35 Nassau St., New York, N. Y. P. A. MOSMAN, Treasurer. LEWIS W. FRANCIS. Boston Meets first Monday of each winter month. HENRY L. SMYTH, Chairman. . ALFRED C. LANE, Vice-Chairman. HENRY A. WENTWORTH, Secretary-Treasurer, 60 India St., Boston, Mass. ROBERT H. RICHARDS, ALBERT SAUVEUR. Columbia Holds four sessions during year. Annual meeting in September or October. FRANK A. ROSS, Chairman. RUSH J. WHITE, Vice-Chairman. LYNDON K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary-Treasurer, P O. Drawer 2154, Spokane, Wash. FREDERIC KEFFER, FRANCIS A. THOMSON.

Jan 11, 1915

The manpower and time involved in primary blasthole stemming at Kennecott Copper Corp.'s Bingham Canyon mine have been reduced considerable through the use of a mobile stemming machine invented y three mine employees. The patented machine, developed 2% years ago at an estimated cost of $5000 for two units, is the brainchild of Thomas R. Carlson, mine plant superintendent; Alvin J. McIntosh, drilling and blasting engineer; and Jay K. Buehler, field repair general foreman. According to McIntosh, the machine has been well received by the mine employees, who have been relieved of the tedious task of hand shoveling drill cuttings into the blastholes. It is estimated that the stemming machine has saved the mine approximately $25,000 per year in overtime and regular labor costs.

Jan 12, 1976

By T. McNulty

The author was privileged to find employment as a uranium mill chemist for The Anaconda Company while working his way through school in the mid-1950s. He then served Anaconda in various technical and management positions until 1980. This paper describes the prevalent technologies employed by uranium producers, briefly describes various mines and mills in the U. S., and memorializes a few of the thousands of men and women who contributed to the U. S. Uranium Boom. Following isolation of uranium as an element by M. H. Klaproth in 1789, uses of uranium were confined primarily to pigments, glass coloring agents, and ceramic glazes. In 1896, Antoine Becquerel found that uranium is radioactive, releasing particles and energy as it decays. In 1898, Pierre and Marie Curie isolated radium from uranium and learned that it can be an effective treatment for some types of cancer. In 1939, it was discovered that the isotope U235 is fissionable1 . Up to this point, nearly all uranium production was from pitchblende concentrates made in Bohemia, Canada, and the Belgian Congo. In 1938, only about 5 percent (23.85 short tons) of global output was produced from ores of the carnotite mineral that were being mined in the U.S. By the early-1950s, physicists in many countries had begun to recognize the potential for nuclear chain reactions. Ernest Rutherford (UK), Frederick Soddy (UK), and Leo Szilard (US) explained transmutation of elements and formulated the principle of “atom splitting”. In 1934, Marie Curie’s daughter, Irène, and her husband, Frédéric Joliot, identified uranium as the most viable source for this new form of energy. The basic fission process was unraveled by German scientists in December 1938. After Hitler’s army seized the uranium deposits in Czechoslovakia, many feared that Germany would build the first nuclear weapon.

Mar 2, 2022

By J. Rourke, F. S. Minshall, E. G. Zukas, C. M. Fowler, O&apos

The Hugoniot curves were determined for Fe-Si alloys containing up to 7 wt pct (13 at. pct) Si. The pressure of the transition increased as the silicon content of the alloy increased. Single crystals of 2.9 wt pct Si-Fe were also studied. The pressure of the transition was not dependent on crystallo-graphic orientation. All of the Neumann bands (mechanical twins) were attributable to (112) planes but not all of the {112} planes showed twin markings. A thorough study of the iron Hugoniot (the relationship between specific volume and pressure) under plane wave shock loading revealed a pressure transition at about 130 kbar shock pressure. The results of this investigation were reported by Bancroft, Peterson, and inshall1 in 1956. At the time of this discovery, it was felt that this was probably the a, to y transition normally found in iron and many of its alloys. Subsequently a number of iron alloy systems were surveyed in which the alloying element has a considerable effect on the normal a, to y transformation. The influence of carbon and nickel and/or chromium have already been reported.2,3 At the present time, there appears to be some doubt that this pressure transition is the usual a, to y transition In this study, Fe-Si alloys containing up to 7 wt pct (13 at. pct) Si were chosen for several reasons. To the present, the transition has been found only in iron-base alloys which were originally in the a, phase (bcc). Secondly, the y loop at atmospheric pressure extends to only about 2.5 wt pct Si. If the transition were a, to y, then one might expect a rather drastic pressure effect for alloys containing more than 2.5 wt pct Si. Finally, single crystals of Fe-Si alloys large enough for shock loading studies are readily available thereby making it quite easy to determine the effect of crystal orientation on the transition pressure and on the twinning behavior of the alloy. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Fe-Si alloys containing up to 7 wt pct Si were produced by normal vacuum casting procedures. Single crystals of Fe-2.9 wt pct Si were purchased from Monocrystals Co., Cleveland, Ohio. The orientations of these crystals were determined and samples cut so that the shock wave would be parallel (to within 1.5 deg) to either the (loo), (Ill), or (112) principal orientations. Three distinct experimental testing techniques were used. First, the pin technique, described elsewhere,4 was used to determine the transition pressure for the polycrystalline alloys as well as for the (111) and (112) orientations of the 2.9 wt pct Si single crystals. Secondly, the recovery studies, described in detail in an earlier paper,2 were used for determining the effect of alloy composition and crystal orientation on the plastic II compression-plastic I rarefaction interaction zone for several specific shock pressures. Finally, measurements of pressures above the two-wave threshold were made on the polycrystalline alloys so that more complete Hugoniot curves could be constructed for this alloy system. The optical techniques described by Rice et al.5 were used to measure the shock and free surface velocities of the samples from which the Hugoniot data were obtained. This method is applicable only in the single wave region, since velocities are obtained from the measured total transit times of the disturbances through measured sample thicknesses.

Jan 1, 1963

By H. Huang, R. N. Gow

"The reactivity of an enargite mineral electrode was investigated spectroelectrochemically under conditions typically found in alkaline sulfide leach solutions, with pH 11-13 and Na2S additions of 50 and 250 gL-1. A bulk enargite electrode was cycled between 0 and -1,000 mV for each set of solution conditions. Raman spectroscopy was used to determine and compare surface formations against species in mass-balanced EH-pH diagrams generated using STABCAL. Previously, it was determined that arsenic could be selectively leached under alkaline conditions at an average solution potential of -300mV, across the pH range 11-13. Operating under such conditions allowed for the selective leaching of arsenic with elemental sulfur formation. From several of the voltammograms obtained during this current testing, the formation of elemental sulfur appeared at increasingly reducing conditions with increasing sulfide concentration. At high concentrations, copper started to dissolve, possibly as a bisulfide complex, reducing the selectivity of the leach, unlike previous studies. However, the presence of the higher sulfide concentration is also anticipated to prevent passivation by consuming any surface formation of elemental sulfur. This study provides insight into the operating parameters of alkaline sulfide leaching in regards to the selectivity of arsenic leaching, as well as guidance for control of reagents and solution potential and, of course, the need for water treatment afterwards.IntroductionEnvironmental limitations on the pyrometallurgical processing of arsenic-bearing concentrates have forced operations to consider other solutions. Attempts to hydrometallurgically process enargite (Cu3AsS4) fall into two categories: the co-dissolution of arsenic and copper under acidic conditions, and the selective leaching of arsenic under basic conditions. The authors believe that the selective leaching of arsenic is more amenable because it produces a solid copper phase, preferably chalcocite (Cu2S) or covellite (CuS) that could then be processed using conventional methods already in place in the copper and gold industries. Potential leaching methods include alkaline sulfide leaching (Achimovicovica et al., 1999; Anderson and Twidwell, 2008a,b; Tongamp et al., 2009 and 2010), hypochlorite leaching (Vinals et al., 2003; Curreli et al., 2005; Mihaljovic et al., 2007), ammoniacal leaching (Gajam and Raghavan, 1983), and acid leaching (Gow et al., 2014b) with or without fine grinding to mechanically activate the enargite surface and increase normally slow leach reaction kinetics (Achimovicova et al., 1999; Balaz et al., 2000; Balaz and Achimovicova, 2006). In this study, the reactivity of enargite under alkaline sulfide leach conditions was examined."

Jan 1, 2015

New York Meets first Wednesday after first Tuesday of each month. DAVID H. BROWNE, Chairman, JOHN H. JANEWAY, Vice-Chairman. F. E. PIERCE. Secretary, 35 Nassau St., New York, N. Y. P. A. MOSMAN, Treasurer. LEWIS W. FRANCIS. Boston Meets first Monday of each winter month. HENRY L. SMYTH, Chairman. ALFRED C. LANE, Vice-Chairman. HENRY A. WENTWORTH, Secretary-Treasurer, 60 India St., Boston, Mass. ROBERT H. RICHARDS, ALBERT SAUVEUR. Columbia Holds four sessions during year. Annual meeting in September or October. FRANK A. ROSS, Chairman. RUSH J. WHITE, Vice-Chairman. LYNDON K. ARMSTRONG, Secretary-Treasurer, P. O. Drawer 2154, Spokane, Wash. FREDERIC KEFFER, FRANCIS A. THOMSON.

Jan 8, 1915

By J. A. Jaekel, W. C. Aitkenhead

Uranium deposits in the Spokane Indian Reservation, as well as those around Mt. Spokane, are essentially low grade, much of the ore containing less than 0.2 pct U3O8. The Mining Experiment Station of the Division of Industrial Research, State College of Washington, has been engaged in intensive research on the amenability of these low grade ores to froth flotation. The results: successful flotation of autinite, chief mineral constituent. At the outset of this work the goal was a concentrate of 1 pct U3O8 with a 90 pct recovery from ores containing less than 0.2 pct U3O8. Most of the work has been done on argillite ore from the Midnight mine on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The goal has not been attained using this ore, but samples of the granite ore from Mt. Spokane yielded successful results. For example, a concentrate containing 11.2 pcl U3O8 was produced from a Mt. Spokane high grade ore containing 1.27 pct U3O8 with a recovery of 97.8 pct. Another Mt. Spokane ore yielded a concentrate of 5.0 pct U3O8 from an ore containing 0.13 pct U3O8. with a recovery of 85 pct. This same ore gave a recovery of 93.5 pct when the grade of concentrate was reduced to 2.0 pct. It has been concluded that a successful method for floating autunite has been developed and that the mediocre results from the Midnight argillite ore are probably caused by the presence of some other uranium mineral or minerals less amenable to these reagents. The experimenters tested a third type of Washington ore, found on the Northwest Uranium Mines Inc. property on the Spokane Indian Reservation. This is a conglomerate of pebbles and small boulders of partially decomposed granite and is shot through with autunite. Its characteristics lie between those of the Midnight ore and the granite ore from the Spokane district. It responds better than the ore from Midnight but not as well as that from Mt. Spokane. As the fatty acids are the only type of collectors showing promise, investigation has been concerned with these acids and the optimum conditions for their use. The first method for treating the argillite ore from the Spokane Indian Reservation made use of Cyanamid's R-708 as a collector, a tall oil product described as a substitute for oleic acid. Although the investigators proved that R-708 is a collector for autunite when mixtures of autunite and silica sand are used, results on the ore were mediocre. Tests of other fatty acids revealed that the solid fatty acids of the saturated series are collectors for autunite and that their collecting power increases with the length of the carbon chain. The even carbon members of the whole series were tested from the 10 carbon acid (capric) to the 22 carbon acid (be-henic). The least expensive collector, stearic acid (18 carbon), proved to be a good one, so this was used in most of the tests. In first attempts with stearic acid, the collector was dissolved in various hydrocarbons and the solutions were added to the flotation cell. Cyclohexane, gasoline, fuel oil, kerosene, and other solvents were tried. Small amounts of high grade concentrates could be brought up, but recoveries were low. Finally emulsions of stearic acid were tried. It was discovered that stearic acid alone has little collecting power except when conditioning is carried out at high temperature. When hydrocarbon solvents were also present, it proved to be an excellent collector. An example of one emulsion that proved satisfactory for some ores is given as follows: 1 part stearic acid by weight, 1 part sodium oleate by weight, 1.2 parts kerosene by weight, 100 parts water. In some successful tests part of the stearic acid was replaced by oleic acid. The emulsions were made by agitating the stearic acid and sodium oleate together with hot water, then adding the kerosene and agitating while cooling. In the five tests reported in Table 1, 650 g of ore were ground with 650 cc water in a laboratory rod mill. The pulp was filtered to eliminate excess water and the ground ore transferred to a stainless steel beaker for conditioning at high pulp density. In most of the tests sodium hydroxide was added to the conditioner during agitation, then the collector emulsion, and finally the sodium silicate. The amount of alkali was adjusted to give a pH of 8.5 to 9.0 in the flotation cell. After conditioning the pulp was transferred to a laboratory flotation cell and the test completed in a normal manner. It is interesting to note that a deposit of high grade concentrate forms on the conditioning agitator and in the conditioning vessel, and at times on the agitator of the flotation cell itself. A few grams of concentrate running as high as 4 pct U3O8 were recovered from the conditioner when Midnight ore containing less than 0.2 pct U3O8 was treated. In the examples given in Table I this conditioner concentrate is calculated as part of the total concentrate. The authors have not yet fully explored the possi-

Jan 1, 1960

Professor R.F. Sandenbergh matriculated at Germiston Afrikaans High School, and then he obtained the degrees of B.Eng. (Chem.) in 1972, M.Eng. (Chem.) in 1975, and D.Eng. (Met.) in 1983-all from the University of Pretoria. Mr J.A.D. Britz matriculated in 1958 at the Roodepoort Hoerskool, and joined the mining industry in 1959 as a student mine official at the Rand Mines Training Centre. Mr J.A. Cruise matriculated at Durban High School and joined Union Corporation as a Learner Official in 1962. He was awarded a scholarship to read for B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in mining engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand

Jan 1, 1990

By E. L. Garton

An active list of permissible explosives was published in July, 1931, as part of United States Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 3134, under the title of "Active List of Permissible Explosives and Blasting Devices Approved Prior to June 30, 1931." Changes in that list were authorized in August, September, October, November, and December, 1931, and January and March, 1932, as published in Reports of Investigations 3140, 3147, 3150, 3155, 3158, 3161, and 3163, respectively. By these changes the following explosives were added to the active Permissible list: Austin Red Diamond No. 1, L. F. Gel-Coalite W, L. F;" Austin Red Diamond No: 5. Gen-Gel No. 2. Black Diamond Nu-Gel No. 1 Genite C-1 Burton 1, L. F. Liberty No 4 Burton 2, L. F. Liberty No. 5 Burton 10, L. F. Peerless D Burton 12, L. F. Permigel 1, L. F. Burton F, L. F.

Jan 1, 1932

By J. W. Merks

Spreadsheet software is used to convert test results for drill core samples into borehole statistics such as volumes and masses of in-situ ore, metal contents and variances of metal contents. The properties of variances and the sampling variogram play a pivotal role, The additive of property of variances gives a sound scientific basis to the calculation of confidence limits for metal contents and grades as a measure of the risks associated with estimating reserves and resources.

Jan 1, 2000