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By Travis Q. Lyday

During 1983, Ecuador's gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by a reported 3.3% in real terms, the second consecutive decline in the economy after more than a decade of growth generated mainly by petroleum export revenues. The slowdown was due, in part, to the effects of the world recession, lower foreign demand for oil, depressed world oil prices, and reduced demand and prices for Ecuador's traditional agricultural exports. Inflation accelerated to an estimated 55% annual rate. The sucre was devalued in March, for the second time in less than a 12-month period, by 27% after remaining unchanged during the previous decade. In addition, continuous adjustments were made every weekday, effectively devaluing the sucre another 30% by yearend. Ecuador's production of crude petroleum increased almost 12% in 1983 compared with that of 1982. Average daily production was 237,100 barrels per day (bbl/d), up from 211,300 bbl/d in 1982.

Jan 1, 1985

By Pablo Velasco

The Belize economy recorded modest growth during 1980; the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) in real terms was between 1% and 2%. At current prices, the 1980 GDP reached $108 million2. This output was largely attributed to the performance of a few industries, mostly nonminerals. Such performance improved significantly the balance of payments situation by reducing the deficit from $19 million in 1979 to $4 million in 1980. The rate of inflation was an estimated 18% in 1980 and would have been greater if not for a conservative monetary policy and price control on a number of essential items. Expert earnings increased $43 million, or 50%, from the 1979 level. After increasing more than 25% in 1979, imports increased only 6% in 1980 to a level of $141 million owing to the decline in investment and stabilization of petroleum prices. The balance of trade deficit was $9.8 million in 1980, a marked improvement from the 1979 level of $45.1 million. The mineral output for Belize accounted for only a fraction of 1% of the GDP. Such activity was limited to the production of limestone, marl, and sand and gravel, all of which were primarily used in construction of the Northern Highway between Orangewalk and Belize City. Mineral resources are deficient or nonexistent in Belize for the majority of metals and nonmetals, although the Government and others continue to believe that petroleum must exist in Belize. The proximity to Mexican oilfields and the growing finds in the Peters area of Guatemala support this expectation. The Government continues encouraging exploration onshore and offshore and offers terms that

Jan 1, 1982

By Kenneth H. Johnston

This report describes in detail three waterflooding projects and a pressure-maintenance project in Butler and Cowley Counties, Kans., that will be visited on the 1963 annual spring tour of the Kansas-Oklahoma Waterflood Association. Among the unique features of the projects are the flooding of five oil-producing horizons separately with injection water furnished by two water-treating plants. Discussion of the individual projects includes information on their early history, the source and treatment of the injection fluids, oil production decline curves, and the results of water injection on oil production.

Jan 1, 1963

By R. D. Berkenkotter

Titanium and iron assays obtained from cores of three diamond-drill holes from the Cebolla Creek titaniferous iron deposit were evaluated by statistical techniques to obtain information concerning the mineral characteristics of the deposit and to make a preliminary determination of sampling requirements for the deposit. A range of sample volumes representing sizes from one-sixth NX core 2 feet in length through full NX core 10 feet in length were prepared by split-ting the NX core with a diamond saw and combining pulverized splits. Results indicate the existence of at least two statistical populations having different average grades of iron and titanium. Each has an assay frequency distribution that is not normal but is highly peaked (leptokurtic). Frequency distributions of assays from specific altered zones of the drill holes appear to be normally distributed. Increasing the cross-sectional area of the sample unit to change assay volume did not result in significant changes either in assay values or the resulting frequency distributions of assays. However, when assay volume is increased by increasing sample interval, the shape of the assay frequency distribution changes, and a normal distribution of assays is approached. Positive correlation exists between titanium and iron assays. The degree of correlation, although very significant, is too low to use for prediction purposes. Although the amount of data from three widely separated drill holes is not sufficient to establish an average grade for this large deposit, it indicates a range of expected assay values and provides some information for determining requirements of future sampling for evaluation purposes.

Jan 1, 1963

By J. R. Hamke

THE WILLISTON basin is the largest known sedimentary basin on the North. American continent. Two-thirds of this large basin lies within the United States in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Less than 10 years after the first commercial oil discovery in North Dakota in 1951, the petroleum became one of the largest industries in the three-state area. Crude petroleum is now the most valuable mineral resource in the area. In 1960, the basin produced 39 million barrels of worth $100 million at the wellhead. Most of the 137 oil pools covered to date are in Paleozoic carbonates at depths ranging from 3,000 to 13,000 feet. The major producing fields, centered on the Cedar Creek anticline in Montana and the Nesson anticline in North Dakota, produce from depths below 6,000 feet. This report presents descriptions of all phases of the Williston basin petroleum industry, including leasing, exploration, geology, drilling, production, transportation, and refining. Engineering, physical, and production data, maps, and crude petroleum analyses for 137 separate oil pools are included.

Jan 1, 1966

By Meherwan C. Irani

The Bureau of Mines is developing a new technological approach to handling the problems of fires in abandoned coal mines and waste banks. This new technology involves the accelerated combustion of "waste" coals in place (i.e., in situ) under controlled exhaust ventilation conditions, which allows for total management of the combustion products; including utilization of the heat produced" This new concept could significantly lower the costs of reducing the environmental and public safety hazards associated with waste coal fires, and could lead to the conversion of a coal waste to a coal resource. The controlled burnout technology has progressed from the laboratory stage to a full-scale field evaluation stage at the site of an abandoned-coal-mine fire. This first report describes the site selection, evaluation, and preparation, and the design and construction of the full-scale controlled burnout installation. Subsequent reports will deal with the results of the operational field trial.

Jan 1, 1983

Provide optimum visibility of mining operations while maintaining protection and comfort for ma-chine operators. Approach Cabs and canopies with hydraulically powered variable-height control were developed for several machines and tested in underground mining operations. How It Works From his position in the cab, the operator can raise or lower the cab, selecting a height that offers either more visibility of the working place or greater clearance for tramming. The entire cab enclosure moves up and down on guide rollers that ride on a pair of rails, and is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder controlled from within the cab. Normal working heights, for each of the four different cabs developed, are with the cab bottom from 6 to 8 inches above the mine bottom. A typical range of elevation (excursion) afforded by this design is shown in Figure 1.

Jan 1, 1978

By A. B. Hooker, Ilsley. L. C.

"Several writers have called attention, in the technical press, to the possible failure of flame safety lamps in coal-dust laden atmospheres. Such writers question the safety or a flame lamp that has been proved only in atmospheres containing methane, believing that the resistance of the lamp to explosion would be lessened it coal dust constituted a part of the explosive mixture.If this be true, it follows that any series of tests devised to prove the safety of flame lamps for use in gaseous and dusty coal mines should not only embrace tests in mixtures containing various proportions of methane, but also in some of the tests the effect of adding coal dust to the explosive gaseous mixtures should be investigated.Some attention has been given this question by investigators, but the more common practice has been to make all tests in gas and air mixtures only, using methane when it was readily available. Apparently the English Accident Committee (1879-1886) who conducted tests upon 250 different lamps did not use coal dust in their tests. The first British requirements for the testing of safety lamps, issued as a result of the Coal Mine Act of 1911, made no mention of tests with coal duet.The Austrian Fire-damp Committee (1890) conducted a series of tests in which coal dust was used in some of the tests. In certain tests, the addition of coal dust apparently lowered the resistance of the lamp 1 meter per second. The Belgium investigators, Messrs. Watteyne and Stassart, conducted a series of tests in 1904 in which coal dust was used in a few tests without any marked difference in safety."

Dec 1, 1920

By E. R. Maize

[In %-port of Invcstiptionn 7452 ,g dcniing with roof ~wet,ent in the Cmcibla r~ine, rof&apos;erence .,as m.da to the f~ct tiwt timker decny war, bsing studied at tho tine of writing. Thic napor, written a3er completion of that ~tudy, describ~s t1l.e ~mrl&apos;: and sunlharizea the fiats obtained. Ifhen tlle stu* oi roof novement bras be,- at Cxcible tw igeas \%.ere a6-r;incsd. on decay of tiriber Q: scne of :he olficialr;: (I.) 9:la.t timber decay v:as unustmlly rapid in ,tho Ciuoiblc mins, ,m?. ((2) that timber coated with rock ri..~st deixiyad morrl mpirlly thnn those %hat vsrc not so coated. Thsx ::ore no records by which tkeso &apos;iaeas could &apos;L;e tertcc?, ard it cnpsarefi vise to make a limite6 in- vo3tiption, p~.rticu!.ai.ly of +.he effect of roc!< dusting on decny, as rock ductirg is nn importnnt mer-ns of ~rc-,rcnt?;~g cad-dust eql-osions. ]

Jan 1, 1941

By L. K. Weaver

The Bureau of Mines has started an engineering study of oil recovery by miscible-phase displacement. As a preliminary part of the investigation a literature and patent study was made to prevent duplication of work already done, to become acquainted with those actively engaged in research of this type, and to learn where the recovery method has been attempted. This bibliography gives results of this study. The bibliography includes 254 references to U.S. and foreign patents and published literature relating to miscible-phase displacement processes of oil recovery. It is divided into the following sections: (1) U.S. patents, (2) foreign patents, (3) literature references, (4) author index, and (5) publication and source reference. The patents and literature references are listed alphabetically by author by intervals of years. References to February 1963 are included.

Jan 1, 1963

By George S. Rice

In response to numerous requests for information as to the status of internal-combustion mine locomotives of the Diesel type that use heavy or non- volatile oil for fuel, with special reference to their safe use in coal mines, the United States Bureau of Mines is issuing this report. Data mere obtained, on application of such locomotives to cod mining only in Belgium, France, Germany, and Great Britain. The locomotives are used in coal mining in other countries, as well as in potash, iron, and other kinds of mining, but their chief development has been in coal mining in Germany, France, and Belgium. Recently popular interest in the Diesel type of engine for motive purposes was aroused in this country by the successful application of Diesel engines to railroad locomotives hauling fast transcontinental trains, and, according to published statements, at a low cost of fuel per mile of run.

Jan 1, 1936

By George S. Rice

In response to numerous requests for information as to the status of internal-combustion mine locomotives of the Diesel type that use heavy or nonvolatile oil for fuel, with special reference to their safe use in coal mines, the United States Bureau of Mines is issuing this t port. Data were obtained on application of such locomotives to coal mining only in Belgium, France, Germany, and Great Britain. The locomotives are used in coal mining in other countries, as well as in potash, iron, and other kinds of mining, but their chief development has been in coal mining in Germany, France, and Belgium. Recently popular interest in the Diesel type of engine for motive purposes was aroused in this country by the successful application of Diesel engines to railroad locomotives hauling fast transcontinental trains, and, according to published statements, at a low cost of fuel per mile of run.

Jan 1, 1936

By B. W. Gandrud

This is the third report published by the Bureau of Mines concerning the washability of Black Creek coal. Both of the former reports5/6/ dealt with the Black Creek coal at the Bradford mine, Dixiana, Ala., near the northeastern extremity of the Warrior field, whereas the present report is based on float-and-sink tests of coal from what is presumably the Black Creek bed near the southern extremity of the field. Although the Yolande Coal & Coke Co., owners of the property at Yolanda No. 6 slope, consider this opening to be on the Black Creek bed, the authors do not feel that there is as yet positive proof that this correlation is correct. There has been little or no development of the Black Creek bed in the Yolande Basin in the past, and a posy-tine identification of the bed at Yolande No. o will have to await further exploration and development. The Yolande No. 6 is an exploration slope 3/4 mile north of Rockcastle, Ala. The slope is approximately 400 feet from top to bottom on a dip of 18° As fax as the authors can ascertain, coal has never been produced commercially from the Black Creek bed in the southwestern part of the Warrior field. Exploration work in the past has indicated that the Black Creek coal in. this area is extremely friable and high in sulfur. Extreme friability would naturally discourage its&apos; use as a domestic and railroad fuel, and high sulfur content would be a disasvantage in its use for coking coal. The present study of this coal has been made with particular reference to sulfur elimination on the assumption that it would make a good coking coal provided enough of the sulfur could be eliminated by washing.

Jan 1, 1939

By Lester G. Morrell

AGAIN in 1963, as in nearly every year since 1946, the Canadian mineral industry has established a new national record in value of mineral production. The 1963 estimated total value of $2,976 million is 5 percent higher than the 1962 value of $2,845 million.2 As in previous years, metals made up more than half the value of total production. For selected years since 1949 the category percentages and total value are as follows: [ ] Crude petroleum, Canada&apos;s most valuable mineral product, accounted for 21 percent of the total value of minerals in 1963. In descending order came nickel 12 percent, iron ore 10 percent, copper 10 percent, gold 5 percent, and uranium 5 percent. Asbestos accounted for 5 percent, sand and gravel 4 percent, and cement 4 percent. The complete list of Canada&apos;s mineral products includes more than 50 basic commodities.

Jan 1, 1964

The design, specification, and performance evaluation of the Communications and Location portions of a Coal Mine Rescue and Survival System are described. The work was performed as part of a nine month effort to develop a mine rescue and survival system using existing technology and state -of-the -art hardware as recommended by the National Academy of Engineering. Three basic subsystems were developed, one for survival, one for communications/location and one for rescue. This report and related equipment manuals describe only the Communications/ Location Subsystem which was designed, fabricated, and tested by the Westinghouse Georesearch Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. Two basic technologies were used. Electromagnetic signals propagating through-the-earth provide voice downlink and coded beacon up-link communications. Seismic methods were developed to provide means for locating trapped miners. Seismic signalling also provides a backup means for communications. Parallel development programs for the electromagnetic and seismic portions of the system were conducted. The resulting hardware and software have been partially tested in coal mines and under simulated emergency conditions in order to evaluate system performance. The results of these tests are discussed. Further testing is recommended in order to establish quantitative performance limitations tinder a variety of environmental conditions and to develop methods for improving system performance.

Jan 1, 1971

By W. W. Adams

Increased employment and a lower accident-frequency rate were the outstanding features of the metal- and nonmetal-mining4 industries of the United States in 1939 compared with 1933, according to reports furnished by individual mining companies to the Bureau of Vines, United States Department of the Interior. Except for 1937, the reports for 1939 showed gains both in number of employees and number of mar -hours worked over all years since 1929. The accident-frequency rate per million man-hours of exposure to mining hazards was lower than in any year since 1925. Reports for 1939 revealed a total of 111,909 men employed in and about mines, an increase of inure than 8 percent over 1931 The total volume of labor performed at all mires was slightly more than 299 million plan-hours, an increase of mare than 10 percent over 1938. As these gains suggest, the average employee had a longer period of work in 1939, the increase amounting to r workdays per employee.

Jan 1, 1941

By L. H. Banning

This investigation was undertaken to obtain basic information necessary for the design and operation of a plant for recovering metallic values from nickeliferous laterite and serpentine of the Philippine Islands. It was divided into three parts: (1) Mineralogical studies and preliminary mineral dressing tests; (2) electric smelting of the ores, upgrading of ferronickel by blowing with oxygen, smelting laterite slag to produce crude iron, and the production of mild steel; and (3) nickel and cobalt recovery from upgraded ferronickel. Results of the investigation indicate that it should be feasible to recover nickel, iron, and possibly cobalt products from the laterite and ferro-nickel from the serpentine. Mineralogical studies were made on representative fractions of the laterite and serpentine tonnage samples and on five selected samples; mineral dressing tests were made only on laterite. The nickel occurs principally associated with hydrous iron oxides and chemically combined with serpentine; garnierite was the only discrete nickel mineral identified, and it was found in a highly decomposed serpentine. The bulk of the cobalt was found in wadlike manganese oxide material. Approximately twice as much chromite was found in the laterite as in the serpentine, By mineral dressing techniques, laterite was separated into two fractions: one fraction contained over 90 percent of the nickel and cobalt, and 83 percent of the iron; the other fraction contained 74 percent of the chromium. A cobalt concentrate (1.1 percent Co) was produced by a scrubbing and sizing procedure.

Jan 1, 1962

By G. J. Colaizzi

The Bureau of Mines, at the request of local authorities in Rock Springs, Wyo., investigated and conducted through contracts a multistage program of exploratory drilling and pumped-slurry backfilling of 15 areas of potential subsidence in abandoned mine workings underneath that community. Initially, the Bureau in 1969 had recommended a program of gravity blind flushing of some of the inaccessible mine voids, and in 1970 a new technique, the pumped-slurry injection process, was tested for the first time in a site adjacent to the city&apos;s area of severe surface subsidence. Success of this initial testing program, and of a large-scale project in Scranton, Pa., led to further large- scale projects, funded by Congress, that resulted in the successful back- filling not only of all 15 target areas of potential subsidence in Rock Springs, but also of several areas in other States. Total cost of the projects in Rock Springs, including the original pumped-slurry test, was $3,243,993. A total of about 923,000 tons of sand was injected hydraulically into mine voids, rendering 178 acres of residential and central-downtown areas of Rock Springs less susceptible to subsidence damage. The pumped-slurry method was proved to be much superior to the gravity blind flushing method in term of the amount of solids that could be injected underground through a single borehole. However, there are special conditions that make this technique more or less applicable in different areas or underground configurations, as noted in the report&apos;s conclusions.

Jan 1, 1980

By Joan C. Biordi

A molecular beam-mass spectrometer-low pressure flat flame apparatus has been constructed for the purpose of examining the chemical microstructure of normal methane-oxygen-argon flames and those inhibited with Halon extinguishants. Details of construction and performance of this apparatus and of related flame temperature measurements are given. Particular attention is paid to the empirical characterization of the perturbation to the flame caused by the sampling probes. The composition profiles obtained for normal flames are compared to those of flames inhibited by CF3Br. In addition to the usual stable species (CH4, O2, CO, CO2, H2O, H2, and H2CO), the inhibitor, its products and intermediates associated with its reactions could be followed. In particular, hydrogen bromide, bromine atoms, hydrogen fluoride, and carbonyl fluoride were observed. The relatively rapid disappearance of inhibitor and early appearance of fluorinated reaction products suggest a short lifetime for the CF3 radical in this system. Observation of COF2 suggests that CF3Br is effective as an inhibitor, at least in part, by virtue of its interference with the oxygen containing species of the normal chain reaction. Profiles of the 17+ peak at low electron energy suggests that the hydroxyl radical may also be sampled, but the profiles obtained are not yet sufficiently accurate to determine the effect of inhibitor on this important flame radical.

Jan 1, 1973

By Russell R. McLellan

As part of an effort to develop new or improved placer mining technology in the Tertiary gold-bearing channel gravel of northern California, the Bureau of Mines conducted investigations at the old Badger Hill placer mine in Nevada County, Calif., to collect data and information regarding drilling and sampling methods and deposit characteristics. Sampling studies involved the collection and processing of 400 tons of large-and small-volume samples from drill holes, underground workings, surface pits, and blasthole rounds. A total of 355 samples averaging 2,296 pounds per sample provided reasonably accurate data for analysis of the gold distribution. These studies indicated that the bulk of the gold is within 40 feet of bedrock in stacked, lenticular zones of cemented gravel that are largely confined to the relatively narrow, meandering course of the deepest portion of the bedrock channel. Drilling studies involved the testing of truck-mounted rotary, buckett and vibratory drills, none of which proved to be a completely versatile tool for sampling quickly and reliably both consolidated and unconsolidated gravel..

Jan 1, 1974