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By Hewitt Wilson

A review is given of the nomenclature, sources, imports, statistics, common methods of preparation, and testing of mineral pigments. A description of the Deer Park-Spokane colored-clay district and the laboratory methods of preparation of these colored clays, others, and siennas follows. The mineral pigments were prepared by washing or grinding the original material as received and by calcination of the yellow ocher and brown sienna with and without manganese dioxide to produce red, brown, and black colors. These prepared powders were tested for fineness, oil absorption, and color as compared with well-known brands of commercial pigments. Similar tests were made with several basalt red clays occurring in the neighborhood of Salem, Oreg., and Kalama, Eatonville, and Clay City, Wash. The color particularly was studied, since this property is the most important commercial characteristic of the minerals. PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION Since the development of the clay industry in the Pacific Northwest, some curiosity and interest have been aroused by the red and yellow clay or ocherouslike material that has often been found associated with the commercial clay deposits. These include the red and yellow "paint pots" near Deer Park and Spokane in eastern Washington, a red clay at Clay City, another close to Eatonville in western Washington, and red basalt earths near Salem, Oreg., and along the Columbia River near Kalama, Wash. Several companies have been organized to produce pigment colors from two of these deposits but have either discontinued or never started operations.

Jan 1, 1929

By L. Ozdemir

An investigation was made to determine the mechanical properties of oil shale at elevated temperatures and confining pressures, the thermal properties at elevated temperatures, and to provide mathematical models for mine design for in situ oil shale retorting. A review of current activity in in situ retorting is included with a comprehensive list of references. Tests were run at temperatures from 20°C to 500°C and confining pressures to 1500 psi with shale of 10 to 30 gallons per ton. A major loss of strength occured in heating 140°C with a partial regain from 380°C to 500°C. Higher grade shale had lower compressive strength. Elastic properties showed large variations. Brazilian tensile strength showed a similar temperature sensitivity as the compressive strength. Equations were developed for each property in terms of grade, temperature and pressure. Thermal, electrical and acoustical properties showed anomalies through the temperature range. Creep is a major factor in overall deformation of heated shale. Oil shale was found to be an excellent insulator. Loss of pillar support area at 800 hours of heating would be about 10 percent. Good correlation was found between a finite element model using the developed properties and an in situ heater test.

Jan 1, 1981

By A. Iannacchione

Major Hazard Risk Assessment (MHRA)1 is used to help prevent major hazards, e.g., fire, explosion, wind-blast, outbursts, spontaneous combustion, roof instability and chemical and hazardous substances, etc., from injuring miners. The structured process associated with MHRA helps to characterize the major hazards and evaluate engineering, management and work process factors that impact how a mine mitigates its highest risk. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) studied the application of this technique to US mining conditions through a field-oriented pilot project. Risk assessment teams used in the pilot project were primarily composed of mining company personnel. Ten case studies were performed over a wide cross-section of mines. These mines were representative of the important mining commodities in the US minerals industry, i.e. coal, metal, non-metal, and aggregate. Also, the sizes of the mines ranged from small to large and were located across the country. The ten case studies demonstrate that most US mines have the capability to successfully implement an MHRA and that the MHRA methodology produced additional prevention controls and recovery measures to lessen the risk associated with a select population of major mining hazards. The basic ingredient for a successful MHRA is the desire to become more proactive in dealing with the risks associated with events that can cause multiple fatalities. A successful outcome is marked by a thorough examination of existing prevention controls and recovery measures. When pressed to consider more controls to further mitigate the risk, a well-staffed risk assessment team was able to identify additional controls. For these mining operations, it was important to add additional controls, even if they were not required by existing mining regulations, to lower the risks associated with the major hazards under consideration. If a mining operation is not willing to commit its best people to an MHRA or will not provide them with sufficient time to see the process through to its conclusion, the MHRA output may prove to be useless. Additionally, if a mining operation is not prepared to discuss its major hazards in an open and honest fashion and to present the findings of the risk assessment in a written report, the MHRA output will be unclear, and attempts to monitor or audit important controls may not be possible. A MHRA is most effective when the mining operation possesses 1) a proper understanding of its hazards, 2) experience with informal and basic-formal risk assessment techniques, 3) proper facilities, machinery and equipment, 4) suitable systems and procedures that represent industry Best Practice, 5) appropriate organizational support with adequate staff, communications and training, 6) a formal and thorough plan for emergency response, and 7) a safety risk management approach that is promoted and supported at all levels of the organization.

Jan 1, 2008

More gold is being produced now than ever before in recorded history. All over the world huge quantities of ore are being mined and processed, thanks to historically high prices for gold and the use of processing techniques demonstrated as cost efficient in the last 20 years. Over the past 10-15 years prices for many other metals have been depressed, and gold has accounted for a significant proportion of worldwide exploration and development expenditures(l)1. The revenues generated from gold mining are providing greater return on investment, more jobs, and more tax revenues to national governments than ever before. Emerging nations are using the gold industry as a springboard for development; developed nations are continuing to fuel their economies with gold industry revenues; and China and countries of the former Soviet Union are using the gold industry to generate foreign exchange, modernize their mining industries, and take the first tentative steps toward private sector participation in their economies.

Jan 1, 1994

By George A. Page, Hewitt Wilson, Vance S. Cartwright

"Purpose of InvestigationThe process of removing solid material from liquid suspensions has been studied at the Northwest Experiment Station, United States Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the University of Washington, as part of a general program to investigate the dewatering of Pacific Northwest plastic kaolins, which is difficult by ordinary filter-pressing methods. The present paper is a progress report of the work began by Vance S. Cartwright in 1928 and continued in 1931 and 1932. Spray evaporation is believed to be valuable for the following classes or grades of clay and clay mixtures:(1) Highly colloidal, plastic-type clays, which release their mechanically attached water with difficulty; (2) clays prepared for shipment in pulverized or powdered condition; and (3) synthetic, ceramic, porcelain, and tile mixtures prepared as aqueons suspension, dried and pulverized before molding. Dilute suspensions can be dewatered by spray evaporation to produce concen-trated casting slip or plastic clay with a lower water content.The most common dewatering method used in preparing powdered kaolin for the market comprises the following steps: Reduction of the water content by filter-pressing from approximately 75 percent in the thick ""slip"" condition to about 30 percent in the condition; further reduction of the water in the filter-press cakes by heat to about 5 percent; and pulverization of the dried cakes in hammer or dust. These three steps can be simplified to a single process by spray evaporation."

Jan 1, 1935

By J. R. Thoenen

The objective of this circular is threefold: First, to describe briefly the various modes of occurrence of sand and gravel. Second, to emphasize the need for adequate prospect¬ ing and exploration prior to the expenditure of funds for development and plant construction. Third, to describe various methods of prospecting and exploration and their application to the several modes of occurrence of sand and gravel. Sand and gravel may be found in nearly every county or township in the United States. Commercial deposits, however, are by no means so widespread. The introduction of concrete and the consequent impetus given to consumption of gravel and sand aggregates has seriously depleted deposits in some congested areas. Increasing re¬ strictions in the specification requirements for marketing sands and gravels have further narrowed the economic areas. On the other hand, the combination of increasing transportation costs and decreasing selling prices has forced the decentralization of gravel production. As a result smaller, intermittently operated, and widely scattered portable or semiportable unit plants have been encroaching on the territory formerly supplied from centrally located pits with large tr.atment plants. Generally speaking, the small portable plant can not produce any great variety of ma¬ terials to as exacting specifications nor as economically as the large permanent plant.

Dec 1, 1932

By Laurence G. Britton

Accurate flammability and ignitability data for chemicals form the cornerstone of procedures used to assess the hazards associated with commercial chemical production and use. Since 1967 the ASTM E27 Committee on the Hazard Potential of Chemicals has issued numerous, widely used consensus standards dealing with diverse testing and predictive procedures used to obtain relevant chemical hazard properties. The decision to issue a standard rests solely with the membership, which consists of representatives from industry, testing laboratories, consulting firms, government, academia, and instrument suppliers. Consequently, the procedures are automatically relevant, timely, and widely applicable. The purpose of this paper is to highlight some of the widely used standards, complemented with hypothetical but relevant examples describing the testing strategy, interpretation, and application of the results. A further goal of this paper is to encourage participation in the consensus standards development process. The paper is published in two parts. The first part (in the preceding issue of Process Safety Progress) dealt with the E27 standards pertaining to thermodynamics, thermal stability, and chemical compatibility. The second part, published here, focuses on the flammability, ignitability, and explosibility of fuel and air mixtures. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 24: 12?28, 2005

Jan 1, 2005

By J. R. Thoenen

During 1928 questionnaires covering the calendar year 1927 were sent to over 1700 quarries: producing stone for purposes other thaw cutting to dimension. These inclined producers of stone for limn burning; cement manufacture, rip rag, and crushed stone. The various rinds of stone represented were limestone, trap rock, sandstone, granite, and marble. Replies received from limestone producers prior to November, 1928, were compiled into tables and published in February, 1925, as a preliminary report (Bureau of Mines Report of Investigation 2911).

Jan 1, 1930

By W. G. Payne, A. C. Richardson, B. L. Gandrud

"INTRODUCTION The Connellsville mine of the Yolande Coal & Coke Co. is in the southwestern part of Jefferson County, Ala., about 30 miles southwest of Birmingham. The mine is on the Blue Creek bed, which is about 6 feet thick and dips at a angle of 18º. The bed is worked by the room-and-pillar method and is mined by both machine and hand methods. The Blue Creek bed at this point yields a high ash, low-volatile coal with excellent coking properties. Because of its exceptionally low volatile content and high coking strength, this coal is excellent for blending with Alabama coals of higher volatile content and weaker coking properties to form blends suitable for production of metallurgical coke.A sample of washed coal taken during this investigation gave the following analysis on an as received"" basis: Moisture, 8.3 per cent; volatile matter-, 20.2 per cent; ash, 8.0 per cent; fixed carbon, 63.5 per cent. The high ash content of this coal limits the quantity which can be utilized when low-ash coke is required. In the Birmingham district it is usually difficult to sell as coking coal a product that contains more than 8.0 per cent ash. To produce a. coal with this ash content at Connellsville presents a somewhat difficult washing problem. This paper gives the results of an investigation that was conducted by the Southern Experiment Station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the University of Alabama and the Yolane Coal & Coke Co. for the purpose of determining the washing characteristics of the coal and the possibility of reducing its ash content on coal-washing tables.The practice at the Connellsville washery at the time of beginning this investigation was to crush the run-of-mine coal to pass a 1 1/2-inch round-hole screen and to treat the satire output on two primary, 3-compartment jigs. A. middling product was recovered from the primary jigs which was re-treated on a single-compartment rougher jig. This system yields a product of acceptable ash content, but the yield is low and the loss of good coal in the refuse is high."

Feb 1, 1933

By C. G. Maier

Relatively infrequent use by metallurgists of the term "sponge chromium" as contrasted to more than occasional reference to "sponge iron" may be ascribed to the fact that the former material is not a commercial product, while the latter has been known and used, at least in one form (Swedish sponge iron), for several decades. It is doubtful whether a true sponge chromium ever has been prepared heretofore in the laboratory by more than one or two investigators. Nature presents a much. more difficult problem to the investigator endeavoring to make sponge chromium than pertains to the production of more easily reducible elements such as iron or nickel. Recent widespread interest among metallurgists in the possibilities of powder metallurgy is ample incentive to explore the feasibility of producing pure chromium metal in finely divided form. The shift in terminology of this statement from "sponge" to the "finely divided form" is deliberate in emphasis of distinction between terms that occasionally have been used loosely. It would seem desirable that a uniform usage descriptive of finely divided metals be adopted. While to some it might seem preferable that the terra "powdered" metal be reserved for a finely divided form produced by mechanical means, as, for example, chromium produced by the mechanical comminution of electrolytic sheets or flakes, current usage of the term "powder metallurgy' involves no distinction as to source type of material. It is usually accepted, however, that a sponge metal is one reduced from oxide or other combined form at temperatures below the melting point of metal or oxide so that the particles of metal are pseudomorphic, at least macroscopically, with the source material, and, in consequence of the loss of material without change of external shape of the particles necessarily have an open, porous, or "spongy" structure.

Jan 1, 1942

By J. Hamilton Duffy

This is the first of, a series of papers describing dredging methods and costs in recovering sand and gravel from the beds of rivers throughout the United States and deals directly with the methods employed and costs obtained by the Ohio River Sand Co. near Louisville, Ky. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of J. R. Thoenen, mining engineer of the Bureau of Mines, in the collection of data and compilation of this report.

Jan 1, 1931

1. Domestic Production and Use: In 1982, 13 companies operated 30 primary aluminum reduction plants, with 3 firms accounting for 55% of production. Washington, Oregon, and Montana accounted for 34% of the production; Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas 18%; Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina 14%; other central and eastern States 34%. Based on published producer prices, output of primary metal in 1982 was valued at over $5.5 billion. Aluminum consumption by 25,000 firms was centered in the East Central United States. Packaging accounted for an estimated 39% of domestic consumption in 1982, transportation 20%, building 14%, electrical 8%, consumer durables 8%, and other uses 11%.

Jan 1, 1983

By Thomas M. Barczak

State-of-the-art longwall roof supports provide effective strata control, but failures of these support systems still occur. To identify failure mechanisms and the impact these failures have on the safety of the support system, the U.S. Bureau of Mines has been conducting research on shield mechanics in the Bureau's unique mine roof simulator, as well as field studies of in situ support loading and investigations of longwall failures, Three types of failures are discussed: (1) inadequate support capacity, (2) structural failure, and (3) instability. Hypothetical situations with proposed courses of action and case studies of actual longwall failures are described. This information is intended to assist the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSEIA) and industry mining personnel in safety evaluations of longwall roof support systems.

Jan 1, 1989

By W. J. Wenger

Oil fields in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming have produced 731 million barrels of petroleum through 1959. Production in 1959 was 32 million barrels, the highest production since 1924. The record production was in 1923, when the Basin produced 38 million barrels of oil and the Salt Creek field, then at its peak, produced 35 million barrels. In this report, the characteristics of crude oils found in the Basin are used as a basis for determining the best re-fining uses for the oils and for predicting the characteristics of oils that may be discovered in the Basin in the future. Analyses of 108 oils sampled over a period of 30 years are presented Crude oils of two major types are produced from the Powder River Basin. One has a low sulfur content and occurs in younger formations, and the other has a high sulfur content and occurs in older formations. The oils with low sulfur contents are generally light colored and waxy, and may be either paraffinic or naphthenic. The oils with high sulfur contents are usually dark colored and asphaltic; only their low boiling fractions are paraffinic. Alteration appears to account for the anomalous properties of some oils found at shallow depths. Shapes and slopes of correlation index curves classify the oils into the same two groups as their sulfur contents, with gently sloping curves representing the low-sulfur oils and steep curves representing high-sulfur, asphaltic oils,

Jan 1, 1961

By H. L. Anthony, A. C. Richardson, G. D. Coe

"INTRODUCTION The Warrior View mine of the Seaboard Coal Corporation is located in Tuscaloosa County on the Warrior River about 14 miles northeast of Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Brookwood bed at this point yields a coal with fair coking qualities, and the product from neighboring mines on this bed has been used for the manufacture of blast furnace coke. The output of the Warrior View mine, however, is used exclusively for domestic and steam-raising purposes.This paper continues the series° of reports on the washability of Alabama coals which are based upon the study of coal preparation in Alabama now being conducted by the U. S. Bureau of Mines and the University of Alabama with the cooperation of the different coal mining companies. This paper contains screen-sizing and float-and-sink tests of a representative sample of run-of-mine coal, and flakiness and crushing tests on certain sizes.Published information on the Brookwood bed is very meager. Fieldner6 gives the proximate and ultimate analyses for a number of seam samples taken from representative mines working this bed. Gandrud and Britton7 show sections of this bed taken at Searles, Ala. They also give the specific gravities of the coal, the bone, and the shale partings.Table 1 give the proximate and ultimate analyses for the 3/4 to 3/16 inch size of raw coal. Table 2 gives the sulphur content and the ash fusibility temperatures of the float-and-sink fractions for this same size. The character of the coal is very uniform throughout the range of sizes produced and, as it was not convenient to have these analyses on all sizes, this size was chosen as being representative of the coal. From the information available it is evident that the coal preparation problem is restricted to one of ash reduction.SAMPLING AT THE MINEAt the Warrior View mine the run-of-mine coal is dumped from the mine cars upon a 3-inch grizzly. The oversize is crushed in rolls set at 24 inches and joins the undersize before being elevated to the raw-coal bin ahead of the jig. The sample was caught at the point where elevates discharges into the raw-coal bin, by taking a proportional amount of the coal at 10-minute intervals over the period of a day's run, The total sample amounting to 2.7 tons was shipped to the laboratory at Tuscaloosa for the washability studies."

May 1, 1932

By Stephen R. Iverson, Bill M. Stewart, Michael J. Beus

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has identified ore pass hazards as a significant safety problem in underground metal mines in the United States injury and fatality data show that many injuries are related to pulling or freeing ore pass chutes and structural failures of control gates and ore pass walls. Researchers at the Spokane Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health are investigating these hazards and developing methods to improve safety during transport of ore and waste. Particle flow analysis methods were used to simulate chute and control gate response to various material loading scenarios. Results from computer models indicate that dynamic impacts from ore and waste rock might be considerably greater than theory predicts. Static and dynamic loads were measured in a laboratory setting using scaled ore (sass mock-ups. Field tests were initiated in an active ore pass to determine actual static and dynamic loads. Field data were compared to computer results and indicated that impact and total static loads were substantially less than the computer model results suggested. Damping factors, normal and shear stiffness, and mass frictional characteristics have a significant effect on particle flow and resulting impact loads.

By Gabriel S. Esterhuizen, Jarek Jakubec

In 2000, Laubscher’s Mining Rock Mass Rating (MRMR) classification system was updated and published. The new system brought a few fundamental changes that were in direct response to the challenges and problems encountered when applying the classification system in the mining environment, specifically caving operations. The fundamental changes introduced into the MRMR system in 2000 were the abandonment of the Rock Quality Designation (RQD) as an input parameter, accounting for healed and cemented joints, and the concept of rock block strength. The objective of this paper is not to discuss the role and usefulness of classification systems; the fact that classification systems are widely used in every stage of mining projects speaks for itself. This paper discusses some of the experiences gained with the MRMR 2000 system in various mining projects and shows how the changes to the system have resulted in improved assessment of rock mass conditions. Issues related to core logging for rock mass assessment are also presented.

Jan 5, 2007

By Bruce McDonald

This report contains the Phase I findings of a study to select and test devices for preventing lack of alertness in haulage truck drivers. The extent of the problem was determined by visiting surface metal and nonmetal mines, interviewing drivers and safety personnel and reviewing accident reports. A number of devices for detecting a lack of alertness were considered and three were recommended for testing in actual operation.

Jan 1, 1977

By M. C. Malamphy

A general description of the activities and results of bauxite investigation by The Bureau of Mines at its bauxite project in Saline and Pulaski Counties, Ark., has been given in Report of Investigations No. 4251. The factual data obtained during the project are reported in a series of Reports of Investigation beginning with No. 4251, of which this is the fourth. The data are accompanied by maps showing the location of holes drilled and the deposits developed. Each area upon which work was done is reported by half townships. Each bauxite deposit investigated was assigned a name and a number for ready reference and identification, and its location and name are shown on the appropriate half-township map. The description of each half township is followed by a description of each deposit developed in that half township. The 14 half-township maps and 77 detail maps of the bauxite deposits in this series of reports give the locations and numbers of all the holes drilled on the project except the deep holes drilled to test the geophysical anomalies. The locations of those holes show on Figure 13 in Volume 1. The descriptions of the deposits developed are followed by complete detailed logs of the drill holes. Many of the widely spaced exploratory holes did not discover bauxite of minable thickness and grade. The pertinent information obtained from the widely spaced exploratory drill holes has been summarized and tabulated, and a table for each half township-is given with the discussion covering that area.

Jan 1, 1948

By Alfred V. C. Meyer

A Blastcorder4 was calibrated on the Bureau of Mines shaking table in the frequency range of 12 to 40 c.p.s. and in the amplitude range' of 0.25 to 1.0 g. The results of this calibration study show that in the frequency range of 12 to 30 c.p.s. the average accuracy of the Blastcorder is approximately ± 0.1 g.

Jan 1, 1962