Search Documents

By F. B. TOUCH

This bulletin deals with a topic that is exceedingly wide, and will doubtl~ be under consideration and discussion so long as there are enough known deposits of oil and gas remaining in the earth to make their revelopment profitable. The Bureau of Mines has repeatedly called attention to the importance of protecting oil or gas sands from the encroachment of water, and the purpose of this paper is to summarize existing knowledge of methods and devices. Water may gain access to an oil-bearing formation from several sources-from water sands above or below those. containing the oil, or by encroaching through the oil sands as the oil is withdrawn. In short, it may enter a well from the "top, bottom, or side." Such ingress of water is a most serious detriment to the recovery of oil from the ground. As the art of drilling and developing oil properties has progressed, increasing thought, labor, and money have been expended on various methods, devices, and equipment for arresting the migration of water from its normal subsurface position into the porous strata containing valuable oil or gas accumulations. At an early stage in the oil-field development of California, it became evident that considerable modification of accepted drilling practices was necessary in order to meet the conditions imposed by the poorly consolidated shale, clay, sand, and bowlder beds penetrated, as well as the hard layers of sandstone and calcareous shale, which vary greatly in thickness, hardness, and frequency. These hard streaks are commonly called " shell," and are so reported in the well logs. As deeper and deeper territory was prospected, drillers from the older fields of the Ea,st, as well as from Texas and Louisiana fields, took part in the operations. Xhe practice evolved was thus based on the wide experience of a most cosmopolitan group of men who, considered as a group, were not hampered by being limited to the knowledge of the practice at any one locality.

Jan 1, 1918

By V. Ferrari

This report documents the three-phase program to design, fabricate, test, and demonstrate economical and practical methods of reducing noise levels on underground coal mining portal buses (mantrip vehicles). The noise-control treatments applied to a production-model portal bus were as follows: ? Wheel/rail vibrations were isolated from the vehicle frame by inserting elastomeric materials between suspension components. ? Vibration-induced noise was reduced by replacing all large sheet metal panels (except floor plates) with damped steel panels. ? Motor noise was reduced by tight-fitting covers made from damped steel and lined with sound-absorbing material, and by elastomeric motor mounts. ? The standard spur gears used in the traction drive system were replaced with helical gearsets. The program achieved the goal of reducing the average sound-level to below 85 dBA for typical operating conditions.

Jan 1, 1981

By K. C. Dean

The combination of flotation and chemical processing methods presented in this report of the Bureau of Mines enabled treatment of typical low-grade ferberite ores from the Boulder County, Colo. area, to produce specification-grade synthetic scheelite. The overall recovery from ore to synthetic scheelite was 87 percent, based on a flotation recovery of 93 percent and a similar recovery in chemical processing. Preliminary mineral dressing studies revealed that the physical and mineralogical nature of typical ferberite ores precluded high recovery of tungsten in plus 60-percent-W03-grade products by these methods. Therefore, the flotation research was focused on attaining plus 90-percent recovery in a concentrate containing 10 percent W03. Detailed studies were made (1) to establish optimum grinding conditions for obtaining adequate mineral liberation, (2) to develop collecting and modifying reagent combinations that would enable controllable selective flotation, and (3) to define the influence of different pulp solids, temperature, pH, and time for conditioning and for the rougher and cleaner flotation stages.

Jan 1, 1961

By D. K. Steele

The domestic primary copper industry generates in excess of 600 million t of mining and mineral-processing waste annually. Most of the waste poses negligible environmental threat, but a small fraction, because of toxic or corrosive characteristics, may be subject to regulation under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or other pertinent regulations. Among the wastes generated by various copper producers are flue dusts, slags, refinery-bleed solutions, and. acid-plant wastes. The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) has researched methods to mitigate the environmental threat posed by copper-processing wastes while recovering valuable metals from these materials. Acid-leach processing of flue dusts has been demonstrated feasible along with sulfide treatment of liquid refinery wastes and acid-plant-bleed and gas-cleaning solutions to precipitate dissolved metals. In, addition, the feasibility of removing copper and molybdenum from slag, as well as stabilization of precipitated sulfide wastes by vitrification, have been investigated.

Jan 1, 2010

By Irving Wender

This report describes Bureau of Mines experiments and reviews the work of others on the exposure of coal and coal-derived products to gamma rays and some other types of radiation. Results are presented on tests of three bituminous coals and a lignite that had been pulverized to minus 200-mesh particles and exposed to 1,000 megaroentgens of gamma irradiation from spent-fuel elements of a nuclear reactor. Of about 20 chemical and physical tests in Bureau work, only mass spectrometry of gases evolved during vacuum pyrolysis of the coals to 450° C gave results indicating differences in the irradiated and unirradiated samples. Mass-spectral distribution curves for CO and CO2 evolution showed fewer irregularities (reversals of curvature) for irradiated coals; thus, mass spectrometry appears to be the most sensitive method for determining radio-induced changes in coal. It is concluded that coal is not significantly altered by gamma irradiation owing to the resistivity of its highly condensed ring structure. High-level gamma irradiation, therefore, is unlikely to prove advantageous in coal processing and utilization. Specially treated coals, because of resistivity of coal to radiation damage, may be useful as an absorbent in processing radioactive wastes.

Jan 1, 1968

By Jr. Frost

Helium used as a tracer gas in petroleum reservoirs continues to show great promise as a new tool for the oil and gas industry, according to tests conducted jointly by the Bureau of Nines and The Pure Oil Co. in-the Cabin Creek field, Boone and Kanawha Counties, W. Va. Helium, when used as a, tracer gas, is mixed with natural gas being injected into a reservoir for secondary recovery of oil, recycling, pressure-maintenance, or other purposes. Three separate experimental helium tracer-gas tests were run in the Cabin Creek, W. Va., field, wherein helium was added as a tracer to the natural gas that was being injected into the oil-bearing Berea sandstone. The results obtained in each test permitted determining the direction and rate of travel of the injected gas, calculating the volume of injected gas in the gas produced at the various wells, and determining the nature of the transition from natural gas to injected gas during a gas-injection program. Data were obtained on the effects obtained from waves of injected gab containing 1 percent and containing 5 percent helium and from a wave of essentially pure helium injected into the formation.

Jan 1, 1950

By Michael P. Hardy

The report described improvements and applications of the Hybrid Computer facility. Improvements implemented under U.S.B.M. Contract H0252035 included expansion of the capability to model nonlinear seam behavior, installation of a color video output display monitor, and further development of software capabilities. To demonstrate the capability of the system, firstly, the influence of nonlinear seam behavior response to the occurrence of coal mine bumps was fully investigated and secondly, the effect of improper mining sequence on bump occurrence was demonstrated. In addition, the system was applied to the analysis of a series of practical coal mine problems. Mines in three coal seams were analysed to investigate the parameters which contribute to the occurrence of coal mine bumps.

Jan 1, 1977

During the interval 1929-41, geophysical exploration in Russia made considerable progress, as reflected in publications. The greater part of these publications was available during the preparation of Geophysical Abstracts and Ms been abstracted in them. The rest was not received and remained unaccounted for. A considerable portion of these lading publications are now listed in bibliographic form, in view of their interest to geophysicists. All publications entered in the bibliography are in Russian. 1. GRAVITATIONAL METHODS 1. Abakelia, M. S. The Organization of Gravitational Observatories in Transcaucasia. Problemy Sovetskoi Geologi, Moscow, vol. 6, No. 5, 1936, pp. 452-454.

Jan 1, 1945

By A. C. Burr

This progress report summarizes operating results on the gasification of natural lignite from five runs of the commercial-scale pilot plant at Grand Forks, N. Dak., during December 1946 and calendar years 1947 and 1948, when the plant was operated for 1,996 hours. A primary specific objective was to determine the useful life of the outer metal retort tube as it is influenced by corrosion and other factors under a wide range of operating conditions. A secondary objective was to develop the technology of production when generating gas with a high ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in both the divided and continuous annuli. Results are summarized in graphs and tables that show hydrogen-carbon monoxide ratios from 2.3 to 9 at gas-production rates from 6 to 12 M cu. St. per hr. (thousand cubic feet per hour), or approximately 30 to 60 cu, ft. per square foot of heated retort-wall surface per hour. Gas yields ranged from 36 to 54 M cu, ft. per ton of natural lignite or 63 to 91 M cu. ft. per ton of moisture- and ash-free lignite, Production rates were higher in the divided annulus, but these represent the maximum capacity of the plant only at high hydrogen-carbon monoxide ratios when the high concentration of excess steam and low furnace temperature limit gas production. A ratio of 6 was the highest produced in the continuous annulus because mechanical Limitations of the auxiliary equipment prevented attainment of higher ratios. The lignite feed rate appears to influence the production rate more than any other individual operating variable. Heat balances for four periods when gas with ratios from 2.3 to 7.2 was produced with a lignite feed rate of about 325 pounds per hour suggest that the potential heat in the gas is lower at higher ratios, owing to increased heat losses in the excess steam. Heat-transfer rates through the retort tube in these four tests were between 1,500 and 3,000 B.t.u. per square foot per hour. These rates are much lower than those reached in many earlier tests, but no attempt was made to achieve maximum rates of heat transfer.

Jan 1, 1953

By Arno C. Fieldner, Howard I. Smith, J. W. Paul, SAMUEL SANFORD.

Many mine samples of coal are analyzed each year in the laboratories of the Bureau of Mines. The analyses are made in connection with investigations relating to fuels belonging to or for the use of the United States Government, the causes of accidents in coal mines, the geologic relations of coal beds, and the character and the value of the coal and lignite in the public lands. The systematic collection and analysis of such samples in connection with fuel investigations was begun in 1904 at the Government fuel-testing plant at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and was under the direction of the United States Geological Survey for six years. Descriptions of the coal samples collected between the beginning of this work, July 1,1904, and the transfer of the fuel-testing and mine-accident investigations to the Bureau of Mines, July 1, 1910, were compiled and published in Bureau of Mines Bulletin 22.a Descriptions and analyses of samples collected during the fiscal years 1911 to 1913 were published in Bureau of Mines Bulletin 85.b The present bulletin presents analyses and descriptions of samples collected during the fiscal years 1913 to 1916. In order that the material in this bulletin may be used to supplement that presented in Bulletins 22 and 85, the same plan of geographical classification has been followed, the analyses and descriptions of the samples being grouped in alphabetical order according to the State, county, and town near which the mines or prospects sampled are situated.

Jan 1, 1918

By H. J. Kelly

[This investigation of the refractory properties of seven Pacific Northwest chrome ores and concentrates has shown that five of the ores and one of the concentrates are suitable for making refractories and that all may be used in combination with high-grade chromite. The specific objectives of the investigation were to determine the inherent physic al and chemical characteristics, to shapes using each of the chrome ores and concentrates, to compare the refractory qualities of the laboratory-prepared with commercial chrome refractories. As far as possible, standard tests were used as criteria.]

Jan 1, 1952

The mineral chromate is the sole current source of commercial chromium Chromite varies compositionally within limits permitted by the formula ((Mg,Fe,Zn,Mn)(A1,Cr)2O4) No chromate has been mined in the United States since 1961 In the past, almost all the chromate mined in the United States came from Alaska, California, Maryland, Montana, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, with about one-half of all production coming from Montana Primary chromate deposits occur only in certain kinds of ultramafic or closely related anorthositic rocks The two major types are stratiform (layered) and pod-shaped The Stillwater Complex of Montana is the largest known United States resource It is a stratiform deposit where several exposed zones of high-iron chromiferous material extend in length Since there is no commercial chromate mining in the United States, there are no environmental problems related to underground mining

Jan 1, 1975

By Alla D. Mah

The energies of combustion of two carbides of tungsten and two carbides of molybdenum were measured , and the corresponding standard heats of combustion were derived . The results are as follows : WC : AH298.15 ( combustion ) = -285,940 ± 250 cal /mole , W₂ C: AH298.15 (combustion ) = -490,660 ± 400 cal /mole , Mo₂ C : AH298.15 ( combustion) = -439,350 ± 600 cal /mole , MoC : AH298.15 ( combustion ) = -269,800 ± 1,000 cal /mole . The combustion heats were combined with the heats of formation of the corresponding metal trioxides and carbon dioxide to obtain the following heats of formation : WC : AH298.15 ( formation ) = -9.6 ± 0.4 kcal /mole , WC: AH298.15 ( formation ) = -6.3 ± 0.6 kcal /mole , Mo₂ C : AH298.15 (formation) = -11.0 ± 0.7 kcal / mole , MoC : AH298.15 (formation ) = -2.4 ± 1.0 kcal /mole . The heats of combustion and formation of MoC are tentative .

Jan 1, 1963

By R. J. Hundhausen

"INTRODUCTION Preliminary examination of the Blue Ledge mine was made by O. H. Metzger, a Bureau of Mines engineer, in May 1943. A result of his recommendations; a Bureau of Mines sampling and exploration project was begun by J. R. Reynolds in October 1943 and continued to December when it was recessed for the winter. The project was resumed by the auther in May 1944 and was completed in November 1944. The Federal Geological Survey 3/ assisted by mapping the geology of the mine and logging the diamond-drill cores obtained from the Bureau's exploration Company maps, diamond-drill-hole records, several reports, and other data on the property were made available to the Bureau by D. C. Brown, of Towne Securities Corporation, owner of the Blue Ledge group of claims. E. A. White, general manager of the Tacoma Smelter of the American Smelting & Refining Co., supplied statistics for all ore that has been purchased from the Blue Ledge mine by his company."

Oct 1, 1947

By Lloyd H. Banning

With the ever-increasing demand for energy in all forms, electrical energy generated from geothermal resources could become an important energy source in the next few decades. Geothermal fluids, which contain appreciable quantities of dissolved salts and gases, are generally corrosive to materials of construction. Since data on corrosion of materials in geothermal brines is limited, the literature was surveyed through February 1972 to obtain a compilation of information on corrosion resistance of aluminum and its alloys, copper and copper-base alloys, carbon steel and cast iron, stainless steels, chromium-iron alloys, nickel-and cobalt-base alloys, and titanium in heated brines including sea water.

Jan 1, 1973

By Robert C. Ellman

The Bureau of Mines investigated the factors that cause agglomeration of lignite by freezing during winter shipment and sought methods to avoid it. Tests showed that lignite may be freezeproofed by removal of the relatively small quantity of moisture involved in forming the frost crystals which cement particles together, or by controlling the crystal characteristics. Adding dried lignite fines proved to be an effective and superior freezeproofing method. Commercial adoption of this method has been successful.

Jan 1, 1965

By Albert L. Toenges

The production of bituminous coal by stripping methods has become an important factor in some areas, especially in the Central and South Central States. In the latter, production at strip mines exceeds that at deep mines. Table 1 shows the tonnage produced at strip mines and the percentage of the total production for 1924 to 1935, inclusive, for the States in which the mines described in this circular are situated.4/ Following are references to earlier Bureau of Mines publications on strip mining of bituminous coal: Cash, F. E., and von Bernewitz, M. W., Methods, Costs, and. Safety in, Stripping and Mining Coal, Copper Ore, Iron Ore, Bauxite, and Pebble Phosphate: Bull. 298, Bureau of Mines, 1929, 275 pp. Kiessling, O. E., Tryon, F. G., and Mann, L., The Economics of Strip-Coal Mining: Econ. Paper 11, Bureau of Mines, 1931, 32 pp. Turner, Scott, and Bureau of Mines Staff; Mining Bituminous Coal by Stripping Methods: Inf. Circ. 6383, Bureau of Mines, 1930, 23, pp.

Jan 1, 1937

By Robert Lee Stahl

Comprehensive field tests were made by the Federal Bureau of Hines at the Conda open pit mine near Soda Springs, Idaho, to determine whether surface geophysical techniques could be used to detect and delineate faults in phosphate deposits. The tests included seismic refraction, magnetometry, electrical resistivity, and airborne photography. Of the several geophysical techniques tested in the field, horizontal resistivity profiling was the most effective method for diagnosing faults. The method is quick, inexpensive, accurate, and can be easily used by mining company personnel to detect and delineate faults.

Jan 1, 1975

By W. H. Tomlinson

One of the more important functions of the Federal Bureau of Mines is conservation of the life and health of employees of the mineral and allied industries. Since its very beginning the Bureau has encouraged competition between mine rescue and first-aid teams as a means of stimulating interest in safety and accident-prevention work. In addition to sponsoring competition on a national and international scale during the past 45 years, the Bureau has also assisted State mining departments, mining companies, and mining organizations in holding State, district, company, and other local meets. This assistance includes providing instructors to train teams, judges, and other contest officials. The Bureau has also furnished problems and outlines for working them, judges I discount sheets (scorecards), contest rules, and problem judges. In fact, Bureau representatives participate in nearly all State, district, and company contests and have bad complete charge of some contests.

Jan 1, 1956

By E. D. Gardner

This paper is one of a series on milling methods being published by the United States Bureau of Mines. Atlanta is in Elmore County, Idaho, about 80 miles from the railroad at Mountain Home, Idaho. The concentrator is at an elevation of, 6,000 feet and located in a timbered, well-watered region of relatively heavy snowfall. The snow, however, does not seriously affect local operations. The track road to Mountain Home, which passes over a mountain range, is closed each winter from about November 1 to June 15. During this period concentrates are stored and bullion is shipped by airplane. Power is generated by a Diesel engine and by an auxiliary hydroelectric plant. Gold is the principal metal produced; the or also contains an able quantity of silver.

Jan 1, 1935