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By B. H. Clemmons, C. H. Schack

Extractive metallurgy techniques currently employed to recover silver from primary ores and secondary scrap were reviewed and evaluated to identify and delineate metallurgical problems whose resolution would increase the supply of silver from domestic materials. The survey revealed that practically all primary silver is recovered by froth flotation concentration of various types of ores, followed by smelting and refining of the separate lead, copper, and zinc concentrates. Silver losses during the complex processing are, with rare exception, inconsequential. Furthermore, any silver production gain from base metal ores, which contribute about two-thirds of the total primary silver, is directly dependent on improvement in the market for the base metals. Statistical data on new and old silver scrap are wholly inadequate to make reliable conclusions about scrap processing problems and the possibility of increasing the recovery of silver from the many forms of secondary silverbearing materials. The available information indicates (1) that efficient silver reclamation practices are employed by the larger users of silver, and (2) that recovery of additional secondary silver involves solution of problems of collection rather than of processing. Several possibilities exist for limited increases in silver production from primary ores by improvement in metallurgical practices. Specifically, research is needed to (1) solve the problem of recovering silver from the copper ores of the Copper Range district, Michigan; and (2) devise economically feasible methods for recovery of silver from presently marginal or submarginal ores that because of grade, location, and frequently complex nature cannot presently be exploited by conventional techniques.

Mar 1, 1965

By Henry Kreisinger, F. K. Ovrrz, C. E. Augustine

The Bureau of Mines is conducting investigations to determine how fuels belonging to or for the use of the United States Govern- ment can be utilized with greater efficiency. As a result of these investigations a number of reports have been published, each report treating of one phase of fuel utilization. A list of these publications is given at the end of this bulletin. The efficient utilization of coal depends on the correct design of furnaces and on their proper operation. To attain both of these conditions a knowledge of the fundamental principles of combus- tion is necessary. Therefore, the study of the combustion of coal in industrial furnaces has been made a part of the bureau's fuel in- vestigations. The desirability of investigating the fundamental principles of combustion was suggested by the study of a large number of steam- ing tests made by the fuel-testing division on coals from all of the more important fields in the United States. The results of these tests have been published in Bulletin 325 of the United States Geological Survey and in Bulletin 23 of the Bureau of Mines. As a result of that study a plan to investigate the combustion of coal in a special apparatus in which all conditions could be controlled was presented to the National Advisory Board for Fuels and Struc- tural Materials at its meeting of April 10 and 11, 1906. The plan received the approval of the board, and since the establishment of the experiment station of the Bureau of Mines at Pittsburgh the investigation of the combustion of coal has been carried on intermit- tently. The history of these investigations is given in Technical Paper 63.

Jan 1, 1917

By Nien-Yin Chang

The contemporary seismic response analysis of structures using a finite element analysis code requires six elastic spring constants to address the six degrees of freedom ground/foundation contribution to the response of a structure to earthquake shaking. However, the ground response is nothing but linear. Thus, it is critical to address the effect of the nonlinear ground response to the performance of structures under strong earthquakes. This study specifically addresses the effect of pile foundation on building vibration using finite element analyses. The effect of single pile was first investigated and the load was applied at the pile head using the single-degree-of-freedom load at a time, including three translational loads in the x, y and z directions and three moment loads about the three respective axes. In this study, the coupling effects between two or more different loads were not investigated. A load is increased monotonically to investigate the nonlinear behavior of pile under various loads. The Mohr-Coulomb model was used to represent concrete. To explore the effect of soil models on the nonlinear spring functions, the following constitutive models of soils were used: linear elastic, Mohr-Coulomb model, Cap model, modified Cam-Clay model, and Duncan-Chang hyperbolic model.

Jan 1, 2007

Applications of helium in aerostatics, cryogenics, space, and undersea work are described in papers from the Helium Applications Symposium. Specific subjects include investigations of X-ray sources by means of balloon-borne instruments, meteorological soundings by balloons, powered lighter-than-air flight, tethered balloons, refrigeration techniques, large superconductive magnets, electronic devices, superconducting transmission lines, high-precision thermal conductivity analysis, He3-He4 dilution refrigerators, uses of helium in the atomic energy program, helium-cooled nuclear reactors, power- plant applications for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, helium welding of stainless steel tubing and pipe, development of helium-shielded arc welding, helium as a diluent in spacecraft atmospheres, helium utilization in the Saturn-Apollo program, and helium utilization in diving environments. Papers from the Helium Centennial Symposium at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society cover the history of the discovery of helium, the history of its development by the Bureau of Mines from a laboratory curiosity to an important item of commerce, the source of helium in natural gases, the world of liquid helium, and liquid helium-3.

Jan 1, 1969

By Russell R. McLellan

The Tertiary channel gravel deposits in northern California were selected Or detailed investigation by the U. S. Bureau of Mines as part of a national program to locate potential sources of gold that might be developed rapidly by large-scale mining operations. Five bureau research centers representing mining and metallurgy subsystems coordinated their efforts in a team operation to identify and investigate possible solutions to the problem area, that long have discouraged the resumption of large-scale mining in the deposits. This report summarizes the individual investigations, conclusions and recommendations conducted and prepared by all mining subsystems research groups after the completion of two years of field work at the deposits on San Juan Ridge in Nevada County, California. The studies indicate that modern mining technology can cope with the environmental problems that closed the immense hydraulic mines in 1,884. however, they also indicate that mining can be conducted with only marginal profits its unless the price of gold remains substantially above $70 per ounce or unless sufficient by-products can be recovered and sold to place the average value per cubic yard of gravel into a positive commercial range. The by-product potential of the Tertiary gravels remains to be investigated in more detail.

Jan 1, 2012

By O. C. Blade

The term "Ichtnyol" is a name applied loosely to certain preparations used in pharmacy. These preparations do not occur as such in nature but are manufactured by various chemical processes. Ichthyol is the name trademarked for a product manyfactured by the Irhthyel-Gescllschaft (Cordes Hermanni & Co.) of Hamburg, Germany, and marketed in thin, country by Merck & Co., Inc., (5, 86, 87)3/. Although used in the literature rather loosely, the correctly applied word refers to the product obtained by sulphonating and then neutralizing with ammonia a distillate from the oil retorted from a certain high-sulphur bituminous shale found near the village of Seefeld in the Austrian Tyrol. Due to the fact that fossils of fish and marine animals occur in the limestone associated with the bituminous shale, these deposits have long been known as, the "lchthyolite schistc of Seefeld" ( 55) . The Greek word "ichthys"" for fish and the Latin word "oleum" for oil are the words from which the term is derived. The crude, tarry shale oil, whose distillate is the raw material for the sulphonation process, has been referred to since the Middle Ages as "Dürsten" or "Tirschen" oil, and the term "ichthyel oil" has been used occasionally in the literature to designate the retorted crude oil (92, 93, 106, 117). The first application of the name "Ichthyol" to a particular product is credited to Schröter (35, 129). Various names for products manufactured by sulphonating bituminous distillates have been coined, and in some of these names the root from the word ichthys has been retained. Some of these names can be found in New and Nonofficial Remedies under the heading, Sulphoichthyolate Preparation, and Substitutes (5).

Jan 1, 1938

By A. H. A. Robinson

Until quite recently-practically up to the present time-all but an insignificant amount of the copper produced in Canada was shipped abroad in the form of ore, matte, blister, etc., there to undergo the further treatment necessary to bring it to the refined state in which it is required by fabricators of copper. Consequently, Canadian manufacturers were forced to import nearly all the copper required in their business; and a considerable portion of the ultimate value to be derived from a Canadian raw material was lost to the country of its origin. In the early days of Canadian copper mining, when both the production and consumption of copper in Canada were much smaller than now, such a condition of affairs was perhaps economically unavoidable, and, in any case, was not a matte~ of sufficient importance to attract general attention. Later on, however, when there had been large and rapid increases both in the production and consumption of copper in Canada, it formed the basis of much adverse criticism, deserved or not, of producers of Canadian copper-criticism that became intensified during the war and subsequent years. Happily, the chief grounds of complaint have now been removed, and there are today copper refineries in Canada, either operating or under construction, that are capable, in the aggregate, of turning out amounts of refined copper greatly in excess of any indicated Canadian consumption.

Jan 1, 1931

By Edward H. Williams

IN the middle of the eighteenth century John Frazier and wife, Sarah Ingraham, removed from Boston, Mass., to Philadelphia, Pa., where he was held in such esteem that we find him one of the Committee which arranged the ball at Washington's inauguration. Their son John. Nalbro Frazier, was prosperous in his mercantile career and fortunate in his wife, .Anne West; who was an important personage in the early life of Professor Frazier. This cultured lady brought into the family an atmosphere of religious enthusiasm, of thoroughness and: of unity of purpose. Her son, Benjamin West Frazier, inherited her traits and displayed them during a. short and active life. Like his father, he engaged in mercantile pursuits, and was a member of the firm of Zimmerman, Frazier & Co. In their interests he lived for a short- time in Montevideo, and on his return married Isabella Zimmerman, a daughter of the head of the firm. Their happy married life was cut short by the death of Mrs. Frazier shortly after the birth of the subject of this sketch which, occurred October 3, 1841. Mr. Frazier did not long survive her, and left his orphaned sons to, the care of his mother, from whom he had inherited a lovable and deeply religious nature, an : artistic temperament and a capacity for thorough work. Whatever of these traits fell by inheritance to these children were strengthened by the influence of their grandmother, and. the purity of mind, the delicacy of sentiment, the refinement of honor, which characterized. Professor Frazier, are due to Anne West Frazier, and are generally present in the characters of all of gentle blood who have been under the sole and immediate influence of a mature and refined woman. Professor Frazier was educated at the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia, and passed thence through the University of

Sep 1, 1905

By GEO M. FOWLER

AN appraisal of the activities of the mining geologists during 1936 clearly indicates the ever in- creasing utilization of geology in the search for ore. Few men with geo- logic training are idle at present; this is particularly true regarding recent graduates. Many have accepted employment in distant fields, such as the Philippines and South America, and greatly increased mineral production from these places reflects their activities. In North America, regions of intense mineralization formerly important are being restudied in greater de- tail and with better understanding; as a result, new mineral wealth is being found in many such districts. Much is being done by private companies and individuals, and it is to be hoped that mining companies will increasingly make available the purely scientific results of such studies by permitting their geologists to publish. On such generosity to a large extent will future advances in ore finding depend.

Jan 1, 1937

By J. O. Claassen

"A study conducted at 22 operating mines in the southern African region indicated that each mine employs about five management and improvement methods with roots in the manufacturing industry. All respondents reported the implementation of cost-saving initiatives, whereas 80% of the mines are affected by restructuring. TQM, Six Sigma, BPM, and TOC were found to be the most prevalent manufacturing management and improvement methods used. A mechanistic vs systemic evaluation of the suitability of these methods to bring about positive change in the industry suggested that complex, ever-changing mining systems are better served by a systemic flow-based approach, which is embedded in methods such as TOC, JIT, TPS, and Lean Production. These methods, however, lack industry presence, possibly because they do not effectively deal with the unique challenges associated with the mining environment. It is argued that successful mining business management and improvement depends on management’s ability to deal effectively with mining industry-specific requirements, the integration of the geologymining- plant system, and the implementation of systemic flow-based principles in all aspects of mining. IntroductionThe study aims to explore the use of manufacturing management and improvement methodologies in the southern African mining industry. Considering the unique challenges associated with mining operations, attention is given to the applicability of the most commonly used manufacturing methodologies in the tactical, operational, and strategic environments. The article endeavours to stimulate more research and debate in an unexplored field of study."

Jan 1, 2016

By Mark Lawshe, Shosie Serata

The conventional method of mining underground, using narrow rooms and wide pillars, has proven to be poorly adapted to the powerful earth forces that act on underground openings. The high costs of roof bolting, timbering, steel arching, and other means of artificial roof support for both room-and--pillar operations and longwall gate roadways attest to the limitations of traditional mine design. Too often, productivity halts when corners buckle under "cutter roof' stresses, floors heave, and roof strata fall. In the 1960s, an entirely different approach to strata control was developed. The Stress Control Method (SCM) stabilizes failing roofs and heaving floors by removing the cause of failure - highly concentrated stresses around the openings. This is achieved by regrouping three to 10 rooms into a single entry where the rooms are separated by very narrow yielding but stable pillars. SCM employs a specified excavation sequence to redirect earth pressures away from the mine openings. The yield pillars act as scaffolding until a permanently protective secondary stress envelope forms around the entry (lower part of Fig. 1). The result is a dramatic improvement in roof stability and a significant reduction in artificial support costs. Some roof bolting must still be done, mainly to meet Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requirements. Potash, salt, coal mining The stress control method was first applied to the deep potash mines of Saskatchewan. The new SCM design actually increased room widths to enlarge the stress envelope, redistributing the stress concentration away from the entries (Serata and Schultz, 1972). This resulted in a turnaround from pervasive roof fall/floor heave conditions that threatened operations in the eight new mines opened in the Saskatchewan potash field during the 1960s. In addition to eliminating all roof bolting, SCM successfully stabilized ground conditions and substantially increased productivity over the original design (Serata, 1976, 1982). Similarly, the deep Boulby potash mine of Yorkshire, England, was about to close after various conventional means of combating roof failure had failed. An SCM test area was excavated that resulted in the ground quickly stabilizing without need o artificial support (Serata, 1982; Chilton and Laird, 1982). Another example is the Diamond Crystal salt mine in Louisiana. Here, multiple level mining was being extended from the third to the fourth level downward in the Jefferson Island salt dome. Extensive roof failure was occurring at 396 m (1300 ft) ii the third level. SCM design principles in creased the room size from 24 to 49 m (80 t( 160 ft) on the fourth level at a depth of 457 m (1500 ft). This unprecedented expansion of room width was first questioned and later ap¬proved by MS HA, which expressed satisfaction in seeing the improvement documented by field validation data in 1973. The most recent SUM application to salt mining has been in the Michigan Basin a: Goderich, Ontario. The anticipated abandonment of Domtar Chemicals Group/Sifto Salt Division's deep operation in bedded sale was prevented by a multi-year SCM implementation. The success of SCM in dry mining[lecc] to its application to solution mining of salt This adaptation of the method is now being implemented in bedded salt at Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta by Dow Chemical Co., and in St. Clair, MI by International Salt Co. Application of SCM to solution mining in a salt dome is proceeding at Napoleonville. LA by Dow Chemical. The same technology has also been applied to cavern design for the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), and the compressed air energy storage (CAES)

Jan 1, 1989

Most of the Indian coking coals are medium coking and of very high ash content. Beneficiation of these coals is a must for their utilisation in coke making. During washing while the ash content of the coal is reduced, the same is expected to affect the reactive-inert ratio and the proportion of various petrographic constituents in the clean coal. This will affect the coking behaviour, including the expansion characteristics, of such coal. An increase in expansion behaviour of coal increases the wall pressure and may damage the battery wall. Therefore, close monitoring of coking properties along with drop in ash is necessary for smooth use of the coal in coke ovens. An effort is, therefore, essential to understand the impact of washing on its coking properties. The studies were carried out with captive coals of Tata Steel, India. Three medium coking coal samples namely, VII A, VI A and XI SEB seam coals of West Bokaro Colliery were used for the study. The coal samples after washing to different ash levels were subjected to the following analysis: proximate, crucible swelling number (CSN), LT GK test, dilatometer and plastometer tests and petrography. The experimental data were then analysed to assess the relationship of various coking properties of the coal with its ash content. The studies clearly show that there is a strong impact of beneficiation of the coal on its coking behaviour. The impacts are more at lower level of ash in the clean coal. In general, the coking properties increase with a decrease in ash. This is primarily due to an enrichment of vitrinte materials in the clean coal and an increase in the reactive-inert ratio in the coals. However, the most important impact of the lowering ash is on the increase in the swelling nature of the coal. The coals with lower ash become highly expanding in nature. This may be very critical from operations of coke ovens point of view, especially stamp charged coke ovens. Necessary precaution should be taken in selecting the other coal blend constituents when these coals are beneficiated to a very low level of ash content.

Jan 1, 2014

By Joel A. Hunt

The Bunker Hill Mine, located in north Idaho, consists of over 150 miles of passageways within highly fractured and faulted Precambrian metamorphosed rocks. The Bunker Hill Mine was at one time a major producer of lead and zinc; currently it is on inactive but maintained status. Ground water moving along flow paths that have been disturbed by mining reacts with pyrite and oxygen to produce acid water within the mine. Discharge of this acid water averages more than 5 cubic feet per second, with an average zinc concentration of 160 mg/L and pH of 2.8. Treatment of this acid mine drainage is required by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Cessation of all underground activities at the Bunker Hill Mine will not terminate the production of acid mine drainage. Reclamation alternatives that could either reduce the quantity or Improve the quality of the drainage upon mine closure are highly attractive. This project is directed towards delineation of reclamation alternatives based upon an understanding of the characteristics of ground water recharge near the mine. A variety of field techniques were used to identify areas of rapid infiltration and to investigate the ground water flow system associated with the upper portion of the mine in a portion of the Milo Creek drainage. These techniques include Installation of piezometer nests, dye tracing, surface resistivity, dye dilution, spring surveys, and hydrochemical analyses. Sites of direct Infiltration into the mine have been located. These include mine workings directly below perennial streams, intersections between streams and faults, and a caved area adjacent to an ephemeral stream. Results of these investigations indicate that recharge through these sites is not as rapid as suggested by previous studies. Inflow to the underground workings from the ground water flow system around the margin of the mine may account for more mine water than sites of direct infiltration. Recharge control at areas of direct infiltration could result in a net decrease in the quantity of acid drainage from the Bunker Hill Mine. Locations suggested for recharge control are West Milo Creek above the Guy Caving Area, the intersections of the Cate Fault with South Milo and Milo Creeks, and an area of Milo Creek below the Milo Creek Dam that overlies shallow mine workings.

Jan 1, 1984

The objective of this handbook is to provide the inspector with guidance for recognizing hazards from inhalation contaminants in above ground work areas of underground and surface metal and nonmetal mining and processing facilities and evaluating these hazards by collecting samples or making field determinations and interpreting the analytical results. Portions of the handbook that should prove most useful to the inspectors include a survey check list, rules for determining if sampling is required, list of most frequently encountered contaminants, list of candidate contaminants and their sampling conditions, interpretation of results, and a procedure for a health and safety inspection.

Jan 1, 2011

By John Mathews

IT is a great honor to be asked by. the Board of Directors of this Institute to deliver the Henry Marion Howe lecture. The invitation carries with it a great responsibility, which I accept with considerable hesitation and with a feeling of unworthiness to perform the duties expected of me in this hour devoted to the memory of the life, character, and work of the late Professor Howe. Many of you recall the scholarly address delivered here a year ago by Prof. Albert Sauveur, and the beautiful tribute he paid-to his friend and colleague of many years in the great work of changing the art of iron making into the science of iron. My association with Professor Howe, was of brief duration-only one year-and the relation was that of pupil to teacher. My feeling toward him in later years was always that of a humble disciple at the feet of a master. He attained his third academic degree in the year that I was born. I recall the pride I felt when, after entering the, steel industry, I received from him, from time to time, letters asking for information or, perchance, asking my opinion, and he was always most punctilious in acknowledging the source of such bits of information in his writings. It was also my good fortune to sit at the feet of another great teacher-Sir William Roberts-Austen, at the Royal School of Mines. I mention him because his name was used by Osmond in coining the word "austenite," which is the subject of this address, and Osmond's suggestion was heartily approved by Howe. These three international metallurgists were the best of friends and delighted to honor the achievements of one another. There are other reasons for mentioning Roberts-Austen at this time. It was an introduction from Howe that opened to me the door of his -laboratory as well as of his heart. It was while at Roberts-Austen's laboratory that I .worked side by side with William Campbell

Jan 4, 1925

A major domestic aluminum producer raised its price for primary aluminum metal from 44 cents per pound to 48 cents per pound, effective August 5, 1976. Other major producers have increased their list prices by equivalent amounts COAL: The strike which began July 19 in southern West Virginia enlarged by early August to involve approximately 80,000 miners in nine States. As of August 4, the aggregated loss of production is estimated to be 5.8 million tons. Reportedly, at this time, the railroads which serve the struck areas are feeling the largest impact with coke plants and electric utilities relying on stocks which are generally high.

Jan 1, 1976

By F. Mielli

Camera systems and video surveillance are usually associated with people and asset protection. However, they can be applied in a mine environment beyond conventional surveillance: For process monitoring, collision avoidance, sizing, flotation cells, conveying systems, blasting, objects and people tracking, thermal profile, and to automatically identify equipment that is missing parts,. Image and video solutions can be driven by better integration of powerful video analytics and cameras systems in automation tools such as process controllers and supervision systems.

Feb 27, 2013

By R. Luchese de Moraes, J. A. Matthews, C. Feliciano Bruzual

The role of biomass char in blast furnaces has been re-examined by scientists worldwide, as a feasible option to reduce the carbon intensity of ironmaking. This contribution makes a technical and economic analysis of the ferro gusa industry in Brazil, with the last 172 charcoal-Blast Furnaces operating in the world. A key strategic question is presented: what is the current status and future prospects of biomass use in Blast Furnaces? Findings provide significant implications to metallurgists: while ferro gusa from charcoal is regarded as carbon neutral iron with low impurities, there are limiting factors that hinder the further proliferation of charcoal-BFs: biomass generation requires vast extensions of arable land and aggregates have low production capacity. Additionally, most of the charcoal is presently generated in beehive kilns with low yields. These elements combined make charcoal-hot metal expensive in price. With respect to the future prospects of biomass, the injection of small biochar particles through the PCI rigs in BFs (here coined Bio-PCI) and iron ore sintering may offer a practical alternative to significantly reduce the CO2 emissions in the ironmaking process.

Jan 1, 2015

By Michael A. Piepenburg

The East Side Access (ESA) Project will extend Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) into midtown Manhattan via 11 km of tunnels, a new terminal station and associated support facilities. In addition to the hard-rock tunneling currently underway in Manhattan, soft-ground tunnels in Queens will traverse beneath Amtrak?s Sunnyside Yard and Harold Interlocking, the busiest rail interlocking in North America. This paper details ESA?s coordinated approach to interfacing with both Amtrak and LIRR with regard to the planned tunnels, shafts and related construction beneath or adjacent to the operating railroads. This interface includes integration of railroad staff, extensive presentations, reviews and agreements with the railroads regarding settlement mitigation, real-time automated geo-instrumentation monitoring, ground improvement, and geotechnical/environmental controls.

By Phillip I. Merritt

"IntroductionDuring and since• the war, it has been my privilege to work closely with those in Canada who are responsible for the vital raw materials needed in our co-operative atomic energy programme. The understanding which has developed between our two groups in this all-important enterprise has been a great source of pleasure. We in the United States are aware of the importance of the contribution made by Canada to this project, and we look forward to continuing our mutually advantageous relationship.The impact of World War II, and the decision by Canada, Great Britain, and the United States to join in a programme for the development of atomic weapons, created a sudden and immense demand for uranium minerals. Early in the raw materials programme, it was evident that sufficient raw materials to fulfill war-time atomic weapon requirements could be secured from three sources: the rich pitchblende deposits of the Eldorado , mine at Great Bear lake; the Shinkolobwe mine in the Belgian Congo; and as a by-product of the vanadium industry of the Colorado Plateau in the United States. In the early part of the programme, therefore, our joint efforts were directed toward obtaining immediate maximum production from these localities. The contribution made by Eldorado Mining and Refining (1944), Limited, both in supplying and refining raw materials, was and continues to be of vital importance.In addition, it was also obvious from the first that in this programme, as in any mining enterprise, exploration activities directed•toward the discovery and development of new sources of uranium ore were essential if production were to be maintained over an extended period of time. In order to satisfy obvious security requirements during the war, it was necessary to proceed with this exploration programme, both in Canada and the United States, as secretly as possible. With the end of the war, and the revelation that an atomic weapon had been developed, however, secrecy in exploration was no longer required. The important thing was to get on with a broadened exploration programme."

Jan 1, 1950