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By Leland H. Johnson, D. O. Kennedy, John Hyvarenen

"SUMMARYA chronological list of accidents at metal and nonmetal mines and quarries (excluding coal mines) in the United States in which five or more lives were lost has been compiled. Many accidents were described in more detail because of their unusual features. Tables have been included to indicate the number of major disasters and fatalities by the principal product mined, by State, and by 10-year intervals prior to 1945. The number of men employed to indicate man-hours exposed is unavailable; therefore, a true picture of disaster data by principal product mined, by State, and by 10-year intervals is not possible. However, the data are presented to indicate the causes of major accidents and bring to the attention of those affiliated with metal and nonmetal mines and quarries the hazards involved and lessons that can be practiced to keep such accidents at a minimum.INTRODUCTIONThe Bureau of Mines was requested to compile a chronological list of accidents at metal and nonmetal mines and quarries (excluding coal mines) in the United States in which five or more lives were lost. Data have been assembled on accidents from all causes in these mines and quarries from the earliest available information (describ¬ing an underground mine fire in Nevada in 1869) to the last reported major accident (a fire at a company-owned bunkhouse in Arizona in 1945).The accounts of the accidents were taken from articles in the technical press and from published and unpublished reports of the Bureau of Mines. Many of the accidents have been selected for more detailed descriptions because of the unique circumstances and to show the variety of dangers involved.Tables are included to indicate the number of major accidents, with resultant fatalities, by the principal metal and nonmetal producing groups, by State, and by 10-year intervals previous to 1945. The interval 1869-1875 does not cover a 10-year span because of incomplete records previous to 1869.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe information contained in this report was obtained from the Engineering and Mining Journal from 1874 to 1947, the Mining and Scientific Press from 1908 through 1922, from various published and unpublished reports of the Bureau of Mines and from reports by State departments of mines. Daniel Harrington, retired chief of the Health and Safety Division; E. H. Denny, supervising engineer, District H; R. M. Loucks, mining engineer; and other engineers of the Division contributed much valuable information and assisted materially in the study."

Apr 1, 1949

By D. N. Tallman

The electrokinetic properties of MgO have been utilized to simultaneously filter suspended solids and remove trace amounts of dissolved heavy metals from synthetic mine water. Greater than 95 pct removal of metals from influent at neutral pH containing 1 to 6 mg/L of dissolved Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn can be routinely achieved by filtering through a granular bed of MgO at flow rates typical of rapid sand filtration (0.3 cm/s). Filtrate concentrations of most metals can be maintained below 0.1 mg/L for 160 bed volumes or more loading. The more mobile metals (those with larger solubility products) are more difficult to remove, and are strongly bonded to the MgO granules so that chemical stripping with chelating agent is required to clean the bed. Less mobile ions are easily removed by the filter and are effectively stripped by conventional filter backwashing. The fraction of metals recovered by chemically stripping the loaded MgO filters correlates to the zero points of charge of the metals. This process may be applicable to removal and recovery of trace amounts of heavy metals in mine drainage that is partly neutralized by liming. Also, since many of these metals are critical and strategic, the technique can be adapted not only to recycle process water from mineral and milling waste streams, but also to reclaim their metal values.

Jan 1, 1986

By Samuel P. Polack

This report reviews investigations to determine the fire hazard in coal mining when using flammable petroleum hydraulic oils to actuate mining equipment and summarizes research by the Bureau of Mines and industry on fire-resistant hydraulic fluids. Tests were established to evaluate fire resistance and the necessary characteristics to assure adequate service when fire-resistant fluids are used to replace petroleum hydraulic oils. The research was conducted in the laboratory and field trials under actual operating conditions in underground mines. Bureau of Mines Schedule 30 became effective December 17, 1959; the first approval was granted on February 18, 1960, and the twelfth was granted on March 17, 1961. The approvals include nine ready-mixed (by the producer) fluids and seven concentrates to which water is added by the user according to instructions from the producer. Seven synthetic-type fire-resistant hydraulic fluids submitted by two producers are also approved. Over 100 coal mines are now using water-in-oil emulsion-type fire-resistant hydraulic fluids in varying degrees from a trial in one machine to all the hydraulic equipment in an entire mine.

Jan 1, 1961

By Frank L. Wideman

This information circular describes methods used in mining inclined beds of phosphate rock in mines operated by San Francisco Chemical Co. in Rich County, Utah. The mines are on the western flank of the Crawford Mountains, a short, narrow range in northern Utah near the Idaho-Wyoming corner (fig. 1). The western front of the range is a conspicuous wall of folded and faulted sedimentary rocks that rises abruptly 300 to 600 feet above the floor of the adjacent Bear River Valley. Rex Peak, highest point in the range, is approximately 8,000 feet above sea level. The area surrounding the mines is sparsely populated. Randolph, the county seat of Rich County, has a population of 650. It is 10 miles southwest of the mines by road and the only town in their vicinity.

Jan 1, 1958

By W. W. Adams

The extent to which coal mines have installed various types of haulage systems and mining machines is a subject about which there is little definite information available in convenient form for the country as a whole . A few State mine inspectors include in their annual reports such information for their respective States , but uniform data for the United States have not until recently been compiled . Several years ago the Bureau of Mines compiled from one of the standard mining directories * a statement showing the kinds of machines and haulage used in coal mines . The first statement was prepared from the 1918 edition of the directory in which detailed descriptions of coal mines were given . The information presumably related to the calendar year 1917. Similar statements have been compiled from the directories for 1919 , 1920 , and 1922 , the statement for 1921 having been omitted because the directory for that year did not become available . The latest statement is given below and is based upon the directory for 1922. It relates to conditions prevailing in 1921 , and covers a total of 7,088 coal mines . Of these , 5,064 mines . or more than 71 per cent , were using animal haulage . As compared with the total number of all classes of mines , those in the animal - haul age group constituted 71.4 per cent , the percentage having remained practically stationary during the past four years , although the actual number of mines in the group has increased . Rope haulage was reported by 1,066 mines , or 15 per cent of the total , representing a larger number of mines than in 1918 , but a decrease of 2 in the percentage for the group as compared with all classes of mines . Electric haulage was reported by 3,274 mines (46.2 per cent ) , and the number of motors in use was 11,265 . The percentage of mines in this class has not changed materially, but the actual number of mines has shown a gain of about 900 during the past four years . Compressed-air locomotives have not increased either in actual or relative number , the percentage for the past year being but 1.2 . The number of mines using storage- battery locomotives has increased from 3.6 per cent of the total shown four years ago , to 9.8 per cent for last year, the latest figures showing 693 mines with 1,428

May 1, 1922

By Joan K. Kuenzi

The purpose of this U.S. Bureau of Mines information circular (Ie) is to discuss how job analysis methods taken from different disciplines can be used together to form a more complete picture of jobs in the mining industry. "Job analysis" is a term used by many researchers, but use of the term is far from standardized. Authors of papers on this subject often state that there is confusion in how or why jobs are to be analyzed, what the resulting information is to be used for, and what the "job analysis" actually means. The process of breaking a job into elemental tasks and analyzing them is used to determine what skills and knowledge are needed to perform a given job, to improve efficiency, and to develop safer job procedures. All are valid reasons to analyze jobs, but the methods used to accomplish the analyses may be very different. In order to create a more complete picture of a job, it may be useful to incorporate methods and information from different areas of study rather than choosing one method for analysis.

Jan 1, 1995

By A. U. Miller

For many years Illinois has been one of the leading coal producers in the United States and as such its safety record has compared very well with the other large coal producing States , both in tons produced and millions of man -hours of exposure per fatal accident . ( See Table 25 in Bureau of Mines Bulletin 293. ) During the 10-year period from 1917 to 1926 , inclusive , the average production in the United States per fatal accident was 278 , 109 tons . The aver age for the State of Illinois for the same period was 409,249 tons . Illinois produced 450,464 tons per fatal accident, and in 1928 produced 390,630, tons , or an average of 419,721 tons for the 12- year period from 1917 to 1928 , inclusive . In 1927 During the year 1929 , the shipping mines of the State made a decided improvement in their record over any previous year . Table 1 shows the monthly production and the tons produced per fatal accident . During 1928 and 1929 safety work was actively carried on in Illinois . Safety meetings were held with mine officials , representatives of the State. De partment of Mines , and the United States Bureau of Mines . At these meetings mine hazards and accidents were discussed and remedies suggested for : their elimination in the future . It is believed that first - aid training was to a considerable extent instrumental in reducing accidents and in making the good safety records in Illinois during 1928 and 1929. During these years ( as well as in 1926 and 1927 to a somewhat less extont ) en intensive rirst-aid training campaign was con ducted in Illinois by the officials and members of the United Mine Workers of America , coal companies, State Department of Mines and Minerals , and the U. S. Bureau of Mines , Every first -aid class was made a safety meeting ; where accidents and general safety were discussed freely while teaching first aid. During this time , anproximately 25,000 persons were trained in first aid, and 17 coal companies were issued certificates for having 100 per cent of their employees. trained in first aid. Since January 1 , 1926 , more than 40,000 have received first -aid training in and around Illinois mines , and including those who received training previous to this date , it is believed that at least 90 per cent of the miners in Illinois have received first -aid training . This state ment is based on the fact that the labor turnover in Illinois is not large .

Apr 1, 1931

By Harry R. Nicholls

Preliminary tests on presplitting rock in the presence of an in situ static stress field were undertaken to study the influence of a horizontal static stress field on the creation of a vertical presplit fracture plane. These tests indicated that it is easier to fracture the rock parallel to the in situ maximum compressive stress than in other directions. Instrumented shots indicate that the interaction of stress waves generated by the detonating charges is probably responsible for starting tensile fractures between shotholes and that expanding gases may propagate these initial cracks by a wedging action. The hole spacing for presplitting appears to be equal to the half wavelength of the stress wave. However, wider hole spacing appears feasible if the initial fracture is started by closer hole spacing.

Jan 1, 1966

By Walter Kawa

Bureau of Mines research on the hydrogenation of coal has been concerned with developing processes that could be used to supplement the Nation's petroleum and natural gas resources. Motor fuel was produced in a subsidized coal hydrogenation industry in Europe prior to 1945, but the process used is still not economical and other methods of producing liquid and gaseous fuels from coal are being investigated. As an aid to the planning of coal hydrogenation research, a literature survey was made of processes or methods of hydrogenating coal that differ from the subsidized or conventional process. This report contains a bibliography of unconventional methods of hydrogenating coal and a brief discussion of the economics of the conventional method. A general discussion of unconventional methods is included, and the advantages and disadvantages are pointed out where possible. The survey supplements a previous Bureau of Mines survey3 and a comprehensive review published in 1930.4

Jan 1, 1964

By H. J. Seim

An ion-exchange-instrumental analysis technique is described for analyzing impurities at 1 to 1,000 parts per million level in rare-earth metals. A cation-exchange flame photometric method is used for the alkali and alkaline earth groups of metals, and an anion-exchange procedure is used in conjunction with polarographic and X-ray fluorescence techniques for selected transition elements. The standard deviation is about 6 percent, and the average error, about 5 percent.

Jan 1, 1962

By J. B. Zink, M. J. Peterson

A semiquantitative spectrochemical method was developed and applied to the analysis of ash of U.S. coals . A low- temperature ashing procedure was used to minimize the loss of volatile elements . The analytical procedure provides for the estimation of 68 elements including major , minor , and trace constituents . Standards for the trace elements were prepared in a synthetic base mixture that approximates the average composition of U.S. coal ashes . Excitation was achieved with a d- c arc , spectra were recorded photographically , and interpretation was made by visual comparison of spectra of unknowns with spectra of graded standards series . Thirty- six trace elements were found in the analysis of 900 samples . Details of the procedure are presented , including sample and standards preparation , excitation and exposure conditions , spectral lines used , and approximate limits of detectability .

Jan 1, 1964

By E. C. Perkins, R. S. Lang, D. M. Taylor, H. Dolezal

The amenability of titaniferous slags and domestic mineral concentrates to chlorination was determined in a 6 - inch diameter fluidized bed chlorinator . Ilmenites from Valley County , Idaho ; Aiken , S.C ,; Trail Ridge , Fla .; and MacIntyre , N.Y .; and a titaniferous magnetite from Iron Mountain , Wyo . , were used in preparing the slags . The domestic minerals tested were an ilmenite concentrate from Valley County , Idaho , and a rutile concentrate from Magnet Cove , Ark . A high - grade Australian rutile was used as a standard for comparison . The impurity content of the slags and minerals tested , which was the most critical factor affecting their performance , was dependent on the geographical source of the material . All of the materials tested were amenable to chlorination in a fluidized bed although some required special operating conditions . Titanium extractions and chlorine utilization were over 90 percent for most of the slags and the Australian rutile . The Valley County , Idaho , ilmenite performed well in the reactor despite its 34 percent iron content .

Jan 1, 1963

By P. J. Coleman

Research in the field of mining safety and health in the United States plays an important part in protecting the lives of miners. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Mining Program conducts surveillance, studies and developmental work aimed at improving the safety and health of miners. With recent reviews of the Mining Program by the National Academy of Sciences and the Mining Program response (NIOSH, 2008), the importance of setting goals, conducting high quality engineering and scientific research and evaluating the outputs, outcomes, relevance and impacts of these projects has been reemphasized. Surveillance of reported injuries is a first step in deciding on research directions and in designing specific projects. Groups of injuries often share features and attributes that suggest common causes and may respond to similar preventive efforts. Identifying groups of injuries also serves to prioritize intervention efforts. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Accident and Injury database (MSHA, 2008) provides individual case reports of mining injuries, illnesses and certain no-injury accidents (events such as roof falls that stop mine production or miners? activities for more than one hour). This database is an indispensable resource for researchers and stakeholders needing information on the statistics of these events. From an epidemiological perspective, research projects target groups of miners at risk due to specific patterns of work, equipment, mine settings and the management of safety and health in their mines. Incidence rates are provided by the MSHA data for selected variables, such as surface/underground location, standard industrial classification and state. While incidence rates are the preferred measure for all variables, denominators are not typically available; for example, to more clearly under-stand the data about injury by occupational type, it would be necessary to conduct demographic surveys. A current survey of the demographics of the mining industry should be complete by 2010, which will allow incidence rates to be developed for a number of variables such as age, occupation and experience. This survey will provide the first update of its kind since the first survey was conducted in 1985.

Jan 1, 2010

By Robert N. Roby

This report is one of a series based upon investigations made and being made within the Missouri River Basin in Montana by engineers of the Bureau of Mines , Albany Branch , Mining Division . These investigations are made primarily to provide preliminary information to Department of Interior agencies and others concerned with the planning of the proposed Federal power developments within the Missouri River Basin . The present report has been designed to permit public distribution of the factual data obtained . The field investigations in Meagher County were made during tually all 1948 ; Vir- known metallic mineral occurrences within the county were investigated ; some nonmetallic mineral deposits also were investigated . The investigations cannot be considered complete , however , because some long-inactive mines or prospects may have been missed . Most of the old mine and prospect openings are caved; many are completely inaccessible . Many of the claims located years ago have been abandoned ; others have been relocated under different names and ownerships . Because of such conditions , much of the information regarding their development and operation necessarily has been obtained from Federal and State publications , supplemented by information provided by owners and local residents .

Jan 1, 1950

By Alan R. Buehler

In 1986, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied part of the 256,430-acre Alvord Desert and part of the 22,240-acre East Alvord Wilderness Study Area (OR-002-074 and OR-002-073A, respectively), in order to evaluate their identified mineral resources. The study areas are located in Harney and Malheur Counties, OR, about 25 mi northeast of the small village of Fields. There are no mines, prospects, or identified mineral resources inside the study areas. Basalt flows within the study areas contain chalcedony-lined vugs and banded agate which may be of interest to rock hounds. An ignimbrite flow contains perlitic material, but crystalline contaminants make it unsuitable for commercial uses. Lacustrine (lake) sediments contain diatomite and clays, and evaporite crusts contain boron too low grade to profitably mine. Small quantities of common opal and petrified wood occur which might be of possible interest to rock hounds. Some of the petrified wood is black, free of fractures, and polishes well; it may be suitable as backing material for soft, thin, and brittle gemstones, such as precious opal. The lacustrine sediments also contain black, fetid layers which have above background, but economically insignificant concentrations of zinc, cobalt, nickel, barium, iron, manganese, aluminum, and potassium. Large quantities of fine-grained dune sands within the study areas are too far from markets for economic consideration. Ephemeral streams in the study areas contain small amounts of placer gold of no economic interest. The western portions of both study areas are reported to have moderate favorability for occurrences of natural gas, and both study areas are reported to have high favorability for the occurrence of geothermal resources. As of December 1986, oil and gas leases covered 3,100 acres in the study areas.

Jan 1, 1987

By W. C. Holliman

This second of a series of reports on the characteristics of commercial aviation gasolines presents inspection test data furni8hed on their products by 15 manufacturers of commercial grades of aviation gasoline and special data obtained in Bureau of Mines laboratories on samples of these gasolines. Data on 18 grade-80, 20 grade-91/98, 20 grade-100/130, and 9 grade-115/145 aviation fuels are presented. These gasolines represent July 1947 production.

Jan 1, 1948

By George T. Faust

The petrographic microscope plays an important role in the mineral dressing of nonmetallic materials. Petrographers and mineral technologists have evinced an interest in the technique developed, specifically, for mineral-dressing problems. The following dissertation makes the informa¬tion more generally available. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors are indebted to O. C. Ralston, chief engineer, Nonmetals Division, and to Will H. Coghill, supervising engineer of the Southern Experiment Station for a critical reading of the manuscript. They are also indebted to their colleagues for technical information obtained in the course of cooperative work, in particular to J. B. Clemmer for the use of the data on fluorite.

Jan 1, 1940

By E. A. Sondreal

The Bureau of Mines investigated the use of lignite char for producing carbon disulfide; CS2 production rates were as high as when wood charcoal was used as raw material. The maximum space velocity for CS2 produced in the bench-scale study was 9,280 hour-1, reacting sulfur and lignite char at 792° C. The reaction temperature and the temperature at which the char was carbonized were the two most important factors in determining CS2 production rates. Increasing the carbonization temperature in nitrogen from 400° to 900° C advanced the temperature at which carbon disulfide was first produced from 550° to 850° C. The average activation energy for reacting chars with sulfur was 44,000 cal/g mole. The reaction was first order with respect to the partial pressure of sulfur. Increasing the rate of sulfur admission caused a decrease in rate of production at otherwise similar conditions. Rates were not affected by either char size or sodium carbonate catalysis. High space velocities at moderate temperatures using inexpensive lignite chars could offer an economic advantage in the manufacture of carbon disulfide provided that yields were attractive.

Jan 1, 1967

By Charles W. Huggins

The Bureau of Mines investigated palygorskite, a natural asbestiform material, to accumulate knowledge that might serve as a foundation for future synthesis of a similar material. Unit cell, chemical analysis, DTA, TGA, optical constants, and electron microscopy data were obtained. Selected palygorskite samples of bettor than 97-percent purity were used to obtain this information. Chemical analysis revealed the following formula: (OH2)4 (OH)2 Ca0.01Fe0.02K0 .c3Mg2.10A12.00Si7.93020.3.91 H2O. The optical constants for sodium light are a = 1.522; S = 1.530; ?=1.533; biaxially (-). The following orthorhomibic unit cell constants were determined: ao = 12.690 A, Z = 2, bo = 17.857 A, Dx = 2.327. co = 5.207 A, Identical diffraction patterns resulted from the three palygorskite samples that were studied. X-ray, chemical, DTA, TGA, and optical data were compared with literature values for similar fibrous materials. X-ray diffraction lines were indexed. Several electron micrographs were made to compare the structures of palygorskite and attapulgite with that of chrysotile. The micrographs revealed extremely short laths for attapulgite, very long flexible laths for palygorskite, and tubular structure for chrysotile.

Jan 1, 1962

By H. B. Salisbury

As a part of a research program designed to help minimize national requirements for new mineral commodities by maximizing recovery of metals from domestic secondary resources, the Bureau of Mines investigated the development of economic methods for recovering copper and associated metals from complex electronic scrap. Three types were selected for research: (1) multiple-pin plugs and connectors, (2) obsolete aircraft radio assemblies, and (3) the magnetic fraction of shredded electronic scrap furnished by the Bureau's Avondale Research Center. The plugs and connectors, after incineration to remove plastic components and melting, yielded a brittle ingot, as did the internal portion of the radio assemblies. The brittle ingots were ground to minus 35-mesh for processing, and the magnetic material was used in the as-received condition. A process using pretreated or raw scrap as a copper precipitant in various concentrations of acidulated copper sulfate solution was developed as a means of effecting an initial separation and upgrading in the form of high-grade cement copper containing all or most of the precious metals.

Jan 1, 1981