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By Sam S. Taylor

The disposal of oil-field brines by injection into subsurface formations other than fresh-water-bearing strata is a positive method of eliminating the harmful effects of mineralized water on fresh-water supplies, vegetation, and aquatic and other animal life. The methods used most generally for the disposal of brines produced with oil are (1) impounding in evaporation ponds, (2) controlled diversion into surface streams, and (3) injection into subsurface formations. Various States recognize one or more of the methods as legally authorized procedure. As a general rule, impounding brine in ponds and solar evaporation have not been entirely successful, principally because of the large volumes handled; the porous nature of the soil, and the low rate of evaporation. Likewise, the diversion of brine into freshwater streams by controlled dilution has not proved satisfactory in some areas, especially in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma where the rainfall is relatively low, because it has been impossible to obtain enough fresh water for such dilution.

Jan 1, 1939

By W. F. Wyman, S. F. Ravitz

"INTRODUCTION By far the greater part of the high-grade manganese ore used in the United States is imported from overseas. During the early part of the recent World War importations of manganese ore were seriously threated, and it appeared that it would be necessary to utilize low-grade domestic ores to the fullest possible extent. Among the processes that appeared to offer the best possibilities for beneficating low-grade domestic oxide manganese ores, which ordinarily are net readily amenable concentration by ore-dressing methods, were those involving leaching with sulfur dioxide. The Bureau of Mines therefore investigated the amenability of a large number of such ores to sulfur dioxide leaching.Several sulfur dioxide processes for beneficiating low-grade oxide manganese ores have been proposed. 3/ One of these, based on a patent by Van Arsdale and Maier, 4/ was used recently in a plant constructed to treat 1,000 tons per day of 20-percent manganese ore from the Three Kids deposit near Las Vegas, Nev. 5/ In this process the ore slurry is leached with sulfur dioxide gas, the resulting solution is evaporated to crystallize the manganese sulfate, the crystals are decomposed thermally to produce high-grade manganese oxide and regenerate sulfur dioxide, and the manganese oxide product is nodulized. The Bureau of Mines has recently developed a process 6/ in which a suspension of the ore in calcium dithionate solution is leached with dilute S02 gas, the manganese is recovered from the resulting solution by a simple lime precipitation, and the precipitate is nodulized or sintered to form a high-grade manga¬nese oxide product."

Jun 1, 1947

By Mackenzie Burnett

This program was initiated by USBM to quantify the respirable dust problem caused by the use .of roadheaders in underground metal/nonmetal mines with special emphasis on this problem in uranium mines. The contract called for the development of methods or equipment to alleviate the respirable dust and to implement the solution in a mine. Attempts to quantify the dust problem were made in the following way: survey of MSHA records, survey of state mine enforcement agencies, survey of mine records, dust measurements taken at two mines using roadheaders. The results of this study are not conclusive due to very limited and sometimes less than useful data; however, the study does indicate that a serious dust problem could and may exist. If and when roadheader use becomes more popular, it is almost certain that development of dust control procedures and equipment will be necessary. This contract was concluded without developing this equipment since only one roadheader is currently in use in an American uranium mine and the mine prefers not to participate in the program at this time. This report discusses the available data concerning respirable dust problems and presents a solution which can potentially help to solve the problem. The solution requires the use of blowing ventilation, on-board dust extraction at the source, and filtration, as well as continued use of water sprays. The on-site tuning of such a system is necessary to demonstrate the degree of improvement possible.

Jan 1, 1981

By Walter J. Frank

The purpose of the work covered by this contract is to develop a means of designing splice connectors which will significantly improve mine trailing cable splice performance. A brief discussion on splice problems is presented as an introductory means and substantiates the need for the development and test programs outlined in this report. Because of the empirical nature of this effort, time has been devoted to explaining the derivations of the test procedures used. Special attention is given to the splice flexing machine which served as the backbone of the test program. In order to familiarize persons with connector terminology, a section is devoted to a glossary of pertinent terms. Various types of cable joints are also defined. The major effort is a connector design parameter study. Utilizing the optimum parameters developed along with the suggested design procedure outlined in Appendix I should result in significantly improved splice performance and thus meet the objectives of this contract. A field test program was instituted for the purpose of insuring adaptability of connector design and associated installation tooling along with a field performance study. During the course of work, other significant factors affecting splice performance were uncovered. Although not covered by the scope of this contract, a brief discussion is presented for the purpose of stimulating interest in what is considered other fruitful areas for improved splice performance.

Jan 1, 1976

By S. C. Termes, P. E. Richardson, R. L. Wilfong

"The Bureau of Mines conducted research on the flocculation of various minerals with insoluble cross-linked starch xanthate (ISX) to determine its potential as a beneficiation technique for low-grade, highly disseminated ores and for selective desliming. Covellite, chalcocite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, bornite, sphalerite, galena, and molybdenite fines flocculate with ISX. Floc formation, floc size, and settling rate are dependent on pH, with the pH dependence differing for each mineral. Quartz is not flocculated by ISX. Experiments to obtain selective flocculation of sulfides from quartz were attempted. Good selectivity was only obtained for the bornite-quartz system. Post flocculation separations resulted in flocculated bornite in grades as high as 92 pct. Evidence is presented that the flocculation of many of the sulfide minerals with ISX may involve covalent bonding of the xanthate group to lattice metal site(s). INTRODUCTIONBecause of the increasing interest in selective flocculation as a beneficiation technique for low-grade, highly disseminated ores and for selective desliming, the Bureau of Mines has been investigating the flocculation behavior of several cross-linked starch derivatives containing chelating groups. This report dis cusses the flocculation of sulfide mineral fines by insoluble cross-linked starch xanthate (ISX).Polymeric materials such as ISX, which contain a chelating group of known re¬activity towards specific mineral surfaces, were first proposed by Slater, Clark, and Kitchener (1), 3 Kitchener (2), and Attia and Kitchener (3) as selective flocculants for mineral fines with particle aggregation possible through a bridging mechanism. ISX appeared to be attractive as a sulfide mineral flocculant because (1) alkyl xanthates are known to react selectively with sulfide minerals"

Jan 1, 1983

By Steven R. Munts

In 1985, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied 39,420 acres of the 60,960-acre Skedaddle Wilderness Study Area in order to evaluate its identified mineral resources. There are no known mines or mining operations in the study area. None of the prospects or claims in or within a 1 mile peripheral zone around the study area have recorded production. At least 276 recorded lode, 6 unrecorded lode, and 29 placer claims have been located in and within about 1 mile of the study area. Approximately 191 of the claims are in the study area. Four of these were current in 1985; all four are wholly or partly inside the study area. None of the study area was being explored by private industry in 1985. Metallic and nonmetallic commodities present in the study area consist of gold, mercury, perlite, basalt, pozzolan, stone, and sand and gravel. Perlite is represented by a single deposit which contains 184,000 tons of subeconomic resources in and adjacent to the study area. No other sites contained identified resources. There are no other identified nonmetallic resources in the study area. Occurrences in and near the study area contain small amounts of gold and mercury in vein-type deposits and show characteristics similar to bulk-tonnage, low-grade gold deposits. No base-metal resources were identified. The gold and mercury mineralization and perlite deposit are spatially related to a volcanic center located in the Skedaddle Mountains. Prospects in the Skedaddle Mountains may contain both precious metals and perlite resources, but additional work is required to adequately delineate these areas.

Jan 1, 1987

By Edward A. Barrett, Kathleen M. Kowalski-Trakofler

This paper discusses the application of a training intervention that uses degraded images for improving the hazard recognition skills of miners. Method: NIOSH researchers, in an extensive literature review, identified fundamental psychological principles on perception that may be employed to enhance the ability of miners to recognize and respond to hazards in their dangerous work environment. Three studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the degraded image training intervention. A model of hazard recognition was developed to guide the study. Results: In the first study, miners from Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Alabama, who were taught with the aid of degraded images, scored significantly better on follow—up hazard recognition performance measures than those trained using traditional instructional methodologies. The second and third studies investigated the effectiveness of the training intervention at two mining companies. Data collected over a3—year period showed that lost—time injuries at mines in Alabama and Illinois declined soon after the training intervention was instituted. Impact on Industry: Further exploration of the hazard recognition model and the development of other interventions based on the model could support the validity of the steps in the hazard recognition model.

By G. B. Shea, R. A. Cattell

This resume of the work of the Petroleum and Natural - Gas Division of the Bureau of Mines for the fiscal years 1940 and 1941 is the second of a series. of progress reports . It brings forward from the 1939 annual report information on the course of activities of the division in carrying out its objectives of increased conservation and better utilization of petroleum, natural gas, and related resources through a coordinated program of research and fact - finding . It discusses, also, special assignments. executed for other Government agencies, which in recent years have constituted a considerable part of the division's work ." . In the present national emergency, in which petroleum is so essential , many of the Bureau's research activities bear directly on the availability, conservation, and use of petroleum for national defense . Accordingly, during the past year attention has been focused for the most part.on.problems associated with the needs of national defense . Several long-time researches , which in themselves are potential sources of desirable knowledge , were judged to be of secondary importance under present conditions and accordingly were suspended . Studies also were oriented in line with rapidly changing conditions to meet the demand for accurate findings on short notice . The Petroleum and Natural - Gas Division has experiment stations at Bartlesville , Okla . , and Laramie, Wyo . , a field office at Dallas , Tex . , and a field office and laboratory at San Francisco , Calif . It also operates the Government helium plant near Amarillo , Tex. In addition to the helium operations , some of the petroleum and natural - gas research activities are conducted at the Amarillo plant .

Feb 1, 1942

By W. M. McKewan

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report discusses wire ropes used for hoisting in U.S. mines. The in-formation presented was extracted from a large body of data compiled by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) using a data base management system (DMS). Further, these extracted data were then manipulated to provide tables of data that show the types and amount of wire rope used for hoisting. This report describes the different types of wire ropes and how a DMS can be used to manipulate MSHA's wire rope inventory data. The data indicate that more 1-1/4-in-diam ropes, 6x27 construction ropes, and right lang lay ropes are used in U.S. mines than ropes of any other diameter, construction, or lay type.

Jan 1, 1991

By L. L. Rethi

The U.S. Bureau of Mines summarized injury data for independent contractor employees working at all locations of coal and metal-nonmetal mines from 1983 through 1990. During the eight years, the greatest contrast in degree of injury between independent contractor and operator employees was in fatalities. From 1983 through 1990, there were 132 independent contractor employee fatalities in the mining industry. In 1988 though, independent contractor employees accounted for nearly one-fourth of all mining fatalities. The fatality incidence rates of independent contractors were consistently higher than those of operators during the eight years. For instance, in 1990, the contractors' rate was twice that of operator employees in coalmining and nearly five times that of operators in metal-nonmetal mining. Three other salient facts highlight the independent contractor employees' fatality injury data during these years. First, 82% of the independent contractor employee fatalities occurred at surface locations. Second, two job classifications?truck driver and equipment operator?represented 37% of the fatalities throughout the 8-year period. And finally, four accident classifications?powered haulage, slips and falls, machinery, and electrical?accounted for 71% of all independent contractor employee fatalities.

Jan 1, 1993

By M. Leva

WITH the development of new processes for the production of synthetic liquid fuels, an extensive literature search was undertaken to uncover fundamental relationships between fluid and heat flows and the operating variables of new types of converters. Examination of published correlations revealed that considerable uncertainty existed in the correlation of the operating variables of such equipment with the pressure drops which could be expected through packed and fluidized systems; correlations proposed in the literature differed from each other frequently by as much as 75 to 100 percent. Because new processes, especially more recent modifications of the original Fischer-Tropsch process, must compete with old, firmly established processes on the basis of unit product cost, the pressure-drop correlations in the literature were considered to be too inaccurate for use in calculating the energy required to pass fluids through packed beds. The following study was begun in 1946 to develop correlations that would be suitable for the design of new equipment in which fluids are brought into contact with granular materials. To arrive at general relationships, systems were chosen that did not involve chemical reactions, and a, particular effort was made to give the correlations only in terms of quantities that are ordinarily available from general process and design specifications.

Jan 1, 1951

By M. C. Irani

The Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Mine Safety Appliances Co., has developed a continuous-recording methanometer utilizing a catalytic combustion detector. The methanometer, which is presently operating at 22 exhaust fans at 14 mines in the Eastern coalfields, is reliable and simple to install, operate, and maintain. The instrument and the details of its installation and calibration are described. Analytical data obtained by infrared spectrophotometer and gas chromatograph are presented to substantiate its re liability.

Jan 1, 1974

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 County, Ark., has been given in Report of Investigations 4251. The factual data obtained during the project are reported in a series of Reports of Investigations beginning with No. 4251, of which this is the eighth. 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 no 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 at those holes show on figure 13 in volume I. The descriptions of the deposits developed are followed by complete detailed logs at the drill holes. Many at the widely spaced exploratory holes did not discover bauxite of minable thickness and gra.de. The pertinent information obtained from the widely spaced exploratory drill holes has been summarized and tabulated, and a table for each halt township is given with the discussion covering that area.

Jan 1, 1948

By Oliver Bowles

Whiting or Paris white is a fine-grained preparation of calcium carbonate having a wide variety of uses. Until recent years it was prepared almost exclusively from certain north European chalks. With the curtailment of imports of European chalk during the World War of 1914-18, however, finely ground limestone, of domestic origin was used more extensively to satisfy the American demand.

Jan 1, 1942

By Wallace W. Key

The California pesticide industry in 1962 consumed about 30,000 tons of clay, talc, limestone, diatomite, sulfur, and other minerals as fillers (carriers and diluents) in pesticide formulation. This was 10 percent of the U.S. filler requirement for pesticides. About two-thirds of the California total was supplied by a few local mineral producers; the remainder came mainly from Florida, Georgia, and Wyoming. The objectives of this report are to provide data on quantities, sources, specifications, and market conditions for minerals used as fillers by California pesticide formulators. The study disclosed that specifications for mineral fillers have become more rigid and formulators have become more numerous in recent years. During 1962 over 1,200 firms registered 16,000 pesticide products with the Bureau of Chemistry in California. Factors which will tend to diminish future need for mineral fillers include the trend toward greater use of organic sprays rather than dusts and further development of biological controls, such as the development of sterile insect strains.

Jan 1, 1965

By Wallace W. Key

The California pesticide industry in 1962 consumed about 30,000 tons of clay, talc, limestone, diatomite, sulfur, and other minerals as fillers (carriers and diluents) in pesticide formulation. This was 10 percent of the U.S. filler requirement for pesticides. About two- thirds of the California total was supplied by a few local mineral producers; the remainder came mainly from Florida, Georgia, and Wyoming. The objectives of this report are to provide data on quantities, sources, specifications, and market conditions for minerals used as fillers by California pesticide formulators. The study disclosed that specifications for mineral fillers have become more rigid and formulators have become more numerous in recent years. During 1962 over 1,200 firms registered 16,000 pesticide products with the Bureau of Chemistry in California. Factors which will tend to diminish future need for mineral fillers include the trend toward greater use of organic sprays rather than dusts and further development of biological controls, such as the development of sterile insect strains.

Jan 1, 1965

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 Virgil A. Marple

The objective of this contract was to investigate time-integrated and real-time methods for determining the diesel exhaust particulate concentration in underground mines, in particular, coal mines. The microorifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) is recommended for obtaining the time-integrated measurement of the size distribution. The mass concentration of diesel exhaust particles can be obtained from the particle size distribution of mine aerosols. On a mass basis, diesel exhaust particles are primarily in the submicrometer size range while coal dust particles are larger. Size distribution measurements made in the laboratory and in three underground coal mines exhibited two distinct modes with the diesel exhaust particles in the smaller particle mode and the coal particles in the larger particle mode. The point of separation between the two modes occurred in the 0.7 to 1.0 pm size range. The separation was found to be independent of mass fraction of the diesel exhaust particles, particle concentration and sampling site. Methods recommended for further consideration as real-time monitors of diesel exhaust aerosols in mines are photometers and filter pressure drop techniques. A preclassifier would be required in both cases to separate the larger dust particles from the sample. The Metrex Mineral/Diesel Photometer should also be investigated further once the electronics problems are eliminated.

Jan 1, 1986

By Terry S. Cory

This report describes the results of a measurement and analysis program to characterize wireless radio transmission In metal/non-metal mines over a wide frequency range from 0.2 -1000 MHz and over a variety of mine environments. Six mines were chosen based on the relative economic significance of their product to the U.S. economy. Mine types Include 01 f shale, uranium, potash, lead/zinc, copper, and silver. Particular mines were chosen so that the group would embody the most Important mining techniques. The results show that transmission at medium frequencies are optimum tor wireless mine communications, In agreement with extensive testing previously performed by the authors in coal mines, and that mine-wide wireless systems are feasible with a minimum requirement for new dedicated wiring. At least one need for such a wireless system was identified in each mine visited.

Jan 1, 1981

By Charles Janin, HENNEN JENNINGS

Many articles have been written on the general principles and details of gold dredging, a but it is not possible within the limits of this paper to recapitulate them, and it is thus necessary to assume some knowledge of this literature by the readers of this paper. Although the purpose of this paper is to describe gold dredging in Montana, a brief mention of some early appliances used in New Zealand, Australia, and California may serve as a world-connecting link in our consideration of the development of gold dredging. DREDGES EARLY USED IN NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, AND CALIFORNIA. Spoon dredges operated by hand were tried in New Zealand on rich spots in the Clutha River with some success as early as 1865. A dredge of this kind is shown in Plate I, A. In 1870 a modification of the spoon, operated by steam and being thus a primitive steamshovel dredge, was worked in New Zealand. Steam-shovel dredging was attempted in California as early as 1888 and 1893, and with some success in later years. The elevator gold dredge with endless bucket chain was put into operation in New Zealand in 1882. Plate I, B, illustrates a type of this dredge operated by current wheels. Plate II, A, shows a steam-operated dredge of this class, also started in 1882. In 1897 R. H. Postlethwaite, connected with the Risdon Iron Works, San Francisco, introduced the dredging practice of New Zealand into California. The first dredge built sank in the turbulent current of the Yuba. The second at Oroville, owned and operated by W. P. Hammon, proved effective and was the start in California of successful gold dredging. Since then the growth of the golddredging industry in California has been so rapid that the gold output from dredges in that State exceeds that of all other States in the Union, and, in fact, of any other country of the world, the value of the gold produced in California by dredging from 1897 to the end of 1914 having been about $71,000,000.

Jan 1, 1916