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By Louis C. Brichta

This report summarizes the progress made by the Federal Bureau of Mines in assembling and compiling a catalog of available logs of drill holes and maps of mine developments in the Tri-State Zinc-Lead District in northeastern Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, and southwestern Missouri. It supplements an interim report (11)3/ published in 1955, and for convenience of the reader repeats much of the general descriptive matter pertinent to the district contained in that report. The work of procuring and recording the data was begun in August 1949 and was recessed in May 1959. The catalog preserves the records of accomplished explorations and mine developments in the district and provides a readily available source of information for individuals and firms interested in planning mineral explorations, Government agencies estimating of reserves of mineral resources, and the mining industry for general use.

Jan 1, 1960

By H. E. Powell

Over 5 million lb of chromium, 1 million lb of nickel, and 90,000 lb of molybdenum are lost annually in the dusts generated in the production of stain-less steel. Additional losses of these metals in the form of mill scale and grinding swarf may be double the dust losses. This Bureau of Mines report describes a process for recovering these and other metals in the form of an alloy steel suitable for recycling. Zinc and lead, when present in the wastes, are recovered as byproducts in the form of oxide fumes. The laboratory-scale process (10-to 25-lb charges) recovers up to 95 pct of the chromium, 100 pct of the nickel, and 100 pct of the iron. The resultant alloy contains from 10 to 20 pct chromium, 6 to 12 pct nickel, and 55 to 65 pct iron, with lesser amounts of molybdenum and manganese. The alloy is essentially free of zinc, lead, and sulfur. The zinc-lead fume obtained from the treatment contains about 40 pct zinc and 20 pct lead and represents essentially complete recovery of these metals.

Jan 1, 1975

By D. Montagna

The Kroll-Betterton process for debismuthizing lead is based on adding calcium and magnesium to impure molten bullion to form solid Ca-Mg-Bi inter-metallic compounds that float on the surface as drosses. Present practice in industry is to hand-skim off these drosses, often followed by hydraulic pressing to squeeze out some of the entrapped liquid lead. In an effort to develop an improved technique, the use of an argon-shrouded dipping centrifuge to perform the required phase separation was investigated. Centrifugation experiments demonstrated that the bismuth content of an impure bullion could be lowered from an initial 0.5 percent down to 0.03 percent with a lead recovery of 90 percent, which is comparable to lead recovery after hand skimming of drosses in commercial lead-debismuthizing operations. Centrifugation provides better control in removing drosses, faster operation with less oxidation and relatively little fuming, and recovery of a lead bullion that approaches commercial specifications.

Jan 1, 1972

By S. J. Schatzel, J. Cervik, A. A. Campoli

The cross-measure borehole technique is being studied by the Bureau of Mines as an alternative to the use of surface gob boreholes as a means of controlling methane in gobs during longwall mining. Small-diameter holes are drilled from underground locations into strata overlying the mined coalbed. When the roof strata are fractured by the mining opera- tion, a partial vacuum applied to the boreholes draws the methane out of the fractured strata and prevents it from entering the mine ventilation system. Tests in the Upper Kittanning Coalbed showed that 50 pct of the methane produced by the longwall mining operation was captured by the cross-measure boreholes. Borehole inclination and penetration into the gob are two important borehole parameters that affect the performance of the cross-measure borehole system.

Jan 1, 1983

By Joseph W. Martin

The Bureau of Mines investigated the backscattering of low-energy gamma rays as a method for rapidly determining the incombustible content of coal mine dust. In this method, 60-kev gamma rays from americium-24l penetrate the dust and are reflected by elements in the dust to a thin crystal scintillation detector. The number of backscattered gamma rays is proportional to the incombustible content. Tests of 40 dry, mine-dust samples containing 50 to 100 percent inert material show an average error of 2 percent. Calibration of the apparatus is necessary for each rock dust to account for variable composition. Results for samples containing more than 6 percent moisture are subject to error, but the values are lower than values obtained by chemical analysis, and thus fall on the safe side. Development of a small portable meter based on the backscatter principle appears feasible. Such a meter would find application within coal mines to check the effectiveness of rock dusting procedures.

Jan 1, 1968

By W. P. Yant, C. E. Traubert

"INTRODUCTION Canister-type gas masks have become an essential part of the equipment of many industries, not only for use in emergencies, but also in performing normal operations of industrial processes and procedures, particularly where ventilation is not practically or economically feasible. They are also used widely for enhancing safety of operations which previous to the development of gas masks had been performed in harmful atmospheres.Since the inception of industrial gas masks the Bureau of Mines has been actively engaged in endeavoring to increase the efficiency and safety of these devices, and this bureau has become a source of advice to manufacturers in producing devices of good quality and to industry in the proper selection and use of these devices. In order to give first-hand information and keep current with the demands and needs of industry it is necessary to perform investi-gations from time to time. This report deals with tests of certain types of commercial gas-mask canisters for protection against mercury vapor.TYPES OF CANISTERS EXAMINEDThis investigation included tests of the following types of canisters:(a) Gas-mask canister filled with 725 c.c. of granular activated charcoal, 8 to 14 mesh, and of a quality used in gas masks which meet the Bureau of Mines approval requirements 4 for protection against organic vapors."

Oct 1, 1932

By Donald P. Mickelsen

The raining and quarrying trends data shown in this report were reported to the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) by mining and quarrying companies on the Mine Information Supplement survey, as well as by mineral producers on 58 annual USBM production and consumption surveys covering 59 nonfuel mineral commodities. The 1993 data presented in the tables of this chapter, were processed for the first time using the USBM Automated Mineral Information System. Domestic mining of nonfuel mineral materials totaled 3.7 billion metric tons in 1993, including 2.2 billion tons of crude ore nun& or quarried and 1.5 billion tons of mine waste and ore from development. This \vas an overall increase of 11% over that of 1992. These data do not include construction sand and gravel which until 1993 has been surveyed biennially. Starting in 1994, construction sand and gravel and the stones, which were also surveyed biennially, will be surveyed annually.

Jan 1, 1993

By Harvard Eng

An industrial survey was made for the Missouri Basin Field Committee of the Department of the Interior to determine the type and quantity of water-borne mineral wastes and the water requirements of metal-processing industries in the basin in Kansas and western Missouri. Data are presented on metal-processing plants visited through June 30, 1959. Most of the plants were in the greater Kansas City area. This report is to be supplemented with a similar publication on other industries, including those producing sand and gravel, coal, petroleum, and chemicals. In 1958, 19 million pounds of waste materials was discharged from metal processing industries. Approximately 14 million pounds of this waste was in the form of ferrous sulfate, and 2 million pounds was ferric phosphate. Galvanizing, other hot dipping, and automotive industries contributed the greater part of iron compounds wasted; some of this waste occurred as sludge that was not discharged to water courses but was hauled to refuse dumps, podium was present in nearly all industrial wastes, and the total of more than 900,000 pounds constituted one of the larger material losses. Although small in quantity, electroplating and allied coating wastes contained metals that were expensive when originally purchased.

Jan 1, 1961

By John Henderson

If you missed this year?s Texas State Holmes Safety Association meeting, you missed a great one. On January 23 & 24, 2009, we held the meeting that was rescheduled when Hurricane Ike threatened Corpus Christi in September 2008. Sixty-five persons from across the state attended the meeting held at the Holiday Inn Emerald Beach. The weather was 82 degrees, and the sky was clear and perfect for a safety meeting. Evaluations submitted by the attendees gave the presentations, the networking, and even the food top marks. There were eight councils represented; Big Country, Central Texas, Costal Bend, Heart of Texas, Hill Country, North Texas and North Central. Presentations included Workplace Examinations, Emergency Preparedness, Screen Safety, Contractor Responsibilities, Powered Haulage, Supervising for Safety, and Basic Inspections of Slings and Rigging. Mr. Edward Lopez, SC MSHA District Manager, gave the State of the District Address.

Feb 1, 2009

By A. J. Kraemer

The Bureau of Mines for a number of years has been carrying on an investigation of properties of crude oils from producing fields in the United States and has published a series of reports on different fields, including oil fields of Texas3. Production Data The Spindletop field was discovered in 1901 when the pay sand was found at deaths of about 800 feet. During the following twenty-five years a number of attempts were made to find a deep productive sand. All attempts sere failures until a roll drilled by the Yount Lee Oil Company found oil late in 1925. An intensive drilling campaign began at once, and the production of the Spindletop field increased to a daily average of 93,217 barrels in September, 1926; the present production is estimated at 66,000 barrels doily. Tile following table taken from the Oil and Gas Journal for February 10, 1927, shows the daily average and the total production by ninths for 1926.

Jan 1, 1927

By D. R. Corson

The Bureau of Mines instrumented two similarly backfilled stopes--one filled in the normal manner and the other with the fill densified using vibratory compactors--to evaluate the effect of fill compaction on subsequent vein-wall closure proposed as a adjunct process for strengthening cemented fill. Hydraulic pressure cells to monitor pressures within the fill and mechanical closure devices to measure vein-wall movement and the procedure for their installation are described. The field compaction work was generally performed manually by utilizing small commercial concrete vibrators. A prototype immersible vibrator using slusher cables to propel the vibrator in the stope was used on several lifts of fill. Although compaction efforts were less effective than anticipated in increasing the final density of fill, analysis of the field data does indicate somewhat improved strain characteristics and an increased pressure buildup for the densified fill. The effects of a prolonged period of inactivity and of rock burst occurrences in the immediate area are also reflected in plots of strain and pressure within the two instrumented stopes.

Jan 1, 1971

By F. R. Cattoir, T. A. Sullivan

Commercial uranium metal was electrore fined to a high- purity product using molten- salt electrolytes in an inert atmosphere cell . Electrorefined uranium that contained , after consolidation , less than 30 ppm of metallic impurities was prepared . A method of leaching the electrolyte crystals to remove the salts was developed . Cathode current efficiencies from 90 to 100 percent were obtained . Two molten- salt electrolytes were prepared and evaluated : (1 ) lithium chloride - potassium chloride - uranium trichloride and ( 2 ) sodium chloridepotassium chloride - uranium trichloride . Very little difference was found in the purity of the uranium metal produced in either system . The lithium chloride - potassium chloride - uranium tri - chloride electrolyte was preferable from an operational standpoint .

Jan 1, 1964

By John E. Pahlman

An increasing number of gold and silver mining operations are employing cyanide solutions to effectively dissolve silver and gold from finely disseminated ores. Many of these operations use small, packaged processing systems like the State of Maine filter system, which employs zinc precipitation of gold and silver. Solution-clarifying filters in these systems become blinded with calcium carbonate (CaC03) scale and require frequent (every 2 to 10 days) dismantling of the filter units for acid cleaning, This is a hazardous operation as it is not compatible with the alkaline cyanide leach solutions and may result in the evolution of toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN) gas during cleaning and during any accidental acid spill. The Bureau of Nines has investigated an alternative, nonacidic method of cleaning blinded State of Maine filters that employs ethylene- diamine-tetraacetic-acid (EDTA) type chelating agents to dissolve the scale. In situ cleaning of a 150-st/d State of Maine filters with EDTA- type chelating agents was successfully demonstrated. Greater than 90 pct of the CaC03 scale was removed in about 10 min with circulation of 31 L of 2.5-pct-EDTA solution through the filter unit. The EDTA cleaning method not only eliminates the cyanide hazard in filter cleaning but is advantageous from the standpoint of operating costs and productivity.

Jan 1, 1986

By Thomas M. Barczak, Christopher Mark

Roof supports can only be understood in conjunction with the rock structure that they support. The strength of the rock depends on geology, and the loads are applied primarily by the in situ and mining-induced stresses. Other factors, such as wider spans and retreat or multiple-seam mining, can also reduce the stability of mine openings. Roof supports are used to help stabilize these openings, but their performance characteristics must be properly matched to the loading environment and ground behavior if they are to succeed. Roof supports include both intrinsic supports, such as roof bolts, and standing supports. The key characteristics of any support include its maximum load-carrying capacity, stiffness, and residual strength. Other important factors are the timing of installation, the stability of the support as it is loaded, and the capability of the support system to provide skin control. This paper explains in practical terms how supports work and the important factors in ensuring that a good support design and application strategy are developed.

Jan 10, 2000

By Charles L. Kimbell

Comprehensive data on market prices for crude minerals and mineral products for the world as a whole do not exist, and even the data that are available are not necessarily compatible between countries, particularly between the market economy countries and the centrally planned economy countries. Further, it should be evident that the actual delivered price for a small quantity of any specific commodity at some point substantially removed from a production facility or a seacoast port will differ appreciably from that for a large volume of the same product at or near its production source or a major import center. Nevertheless, the regularly published prices of selected major mineral commodities in key market areas can be regarded as indicative of general world price trends.

Jan 1, 1992

By R. V. Subramanian

This project financed by the Bureau of Mines investigated the use of polymers to achieve rock bonding and reinforce coal mine structures for better or permanent ground support. Support was achieved by pumping the polymers into the rock interstices to bond the mass together for increased structural competence. Holes were drilled in the mine roof, after which the polymers were injected at about 100 psi to permeate the cracks. Initial laboratory work indicated that of all the resin systems tested, the epoxy resins could most likely be modified to be suitable for rock injection. This was confirmed when several potentially suitable resin systems underwent intensive evaluation. In a series of three field tests, two conducted in a copper mine with coal mine-type shale and the third in a coal mine, it was shown that the polymers penetrated cracks less than 0.005 inch wide. The fast-setting epoxy systems, cured out in thin films under mine conditions, produced a bond exceeding the strength of the uncracked virgin rock.

Jan 1, 1974

By Ronald D. Hill, Elmore C. Grim

To better appreciate the problems associated with surface mining, it 1s imperative that the stripping operation be understood. Surface mining is a very broad term and refers to any process of removing the earth, rock, and other strata in order to uncover the underlying mineral or fuel deposit. Strip mining is a type of surface mining in which the overburden is removed in narrow bands, one cut at a time. Strip mining methods employed to recover coal can be divided into two general types: area and contour.

Jan 1, 1974

By Robert K. Koch

Laboratory-scale studies on defluorination of natural and synthetic fluorspars by pyrohydrolysis at 1,500° C. were made to determine the feasibility of developing a process for producing hydrogen fluoride from siliceous fluorspars. It was found that the reaction (at 1,500° C.) is not promising for process development, even though a silica-free offgas can be generated. The primary difficulty is the low hydrogen fluoride content of the offgases; an HF content of 6 percent was the best achieved. Previous research by the Bureau of Mines has demonstrated that offgases averaging 27 percent hydrogen fluoride can be produced under carefully controlled conditions at 1,280° C. The lower temperature process is a better method for production of HF. However, charges in which the CaF to Si02 mole ratio varied from 0.4 to 2 could be processed with similar results. Also, combined alumina and ferric oxide contents up to 25 mole-percent did not noticeably alter the rate of defluorination. Therefore, virtually any natural siliceous fluorspar would respond in essentially the same manner when exposed to water vapor at 1,500° C.

Jan 1, 1962

By Eliot J. White

The physical properties and clay mineral content of the major oil-producing formations in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming were determined by analyses of cores from 100 wells. Interrelationships were established among permeability, restored water saturation, clay content, and bulk swelling capacity of the crushed sample and used to estimate the susceptibility of the formations to water damage. The ratio of water permeability to gas permeability (kw/ki) offers a convenient scale for semiquantitatively estimating the water sensitivity of sands. The irreducible water saturation was also found to have a similar relationship to the clay mineral content and the water sensitivity of the sands. The average relation of water permeability to gas permeability is different for each sand, as shown by the curves, and the relative positions of the curves indicate the degree of water sensitivity of each sand from which the susceptibility to water damage may be estimated. How accurately these estimates show formation behavior under field operations will not be known until studies of field performance can be made. The water permeabilities of the Muddy, Minnelusa, and Tensleep sands average about the same as the gas permeabilities, and these sands are classified as insensitive. The water permeabilities of the Sussex and Shannon sands, at the other extreme, are much less than the gas permabilities [when average ki is 30 millidarcys (md), kw is 6.1 md], and these sands are classified as highly water sensitive. The sensitivities of the five other sands are between these extremes.

Jan 1, 1962

By J. J. Forbes

"The central rescue station maintained jointly by several mining com¬panies in a district, is gaining in popularity in a large number of mining districts throughout the country. A very efficient first-aid and mine rescue association, with rescue station, is in operation in 'the Globe-Miami, Arizona, district. This association, known as the ""Globe-Miami District Mine Rescue and First-Aid Association""; was organized on January 1, 1918. Due to the effective work of this organization, several incipient mine fires have been extinguished before the fire got under headway and before any severe damage was done.The mine rescue station, which is situated on the highway between the towns of Globe and Miami, Arizona, is centrally located with respect to the various mines in the district. The station was completed, and a full craw em-ployed for conducting it work on January 1, 1920.The directors and other officers of the association are selected from the mine officials whose properties are served by it. It includes seven large metal mining and metallurgical companies in the Globe-Miami district. The names of the companies, together with the number of men employed by each follows.A director is in charge of the station; he performs the executive work, and, is the managing head of all training in first aid and mine rescue. The director is assisted by three station attendants, one of whom takes the morning shift, another, the evening shift, and the third, the night shift. They exchange shifts every two weeks. As three shifts are maintained, an attendant is on duty at all times. He answers emergency calls in case of fires or accidents, assists with the first-aid and mine rescue training, the inspection of the first-aid boxes and supply bases that are located at the various mines, and attends to miscellaneous duties in connection with the operation and maintenance of the station."

Dec 1, 1920