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By N. E. Hanna

The current Bureau of Mines active list of permissible explosives includes 124 brands. Thirteen are gelatinous and the rest are the more commonly used granular ammonium nitrate type. The list of permissible blasting devices comprises five Cardox models.

Jan 1, 1965

By Virgil Miller, R. G. Knickerbacken

"INTRODUCTION The Bureau of Mines work reported by the Metallurgical Division 4/ in 1934 shows the possibility of producing artificial manganese ore by pre- ferential oxidation of manganese from spiegeleisen produced from manganiferous iron ores of the Cuyuna range, Minnesota. A three-step process is described as being capable of producing a ferrograde ore from this type of low-grade, domestic, strategic material. However, the melting temperature in the last step of the process that forms the manganese product is high, and the phosphorus content is not easily controlled. Also, the tenor of the manganese in the product is not comparable with other methods that use less process energy.Lofquist 5/ patented an improvement of the above three-step smelting method, in which sulfide was added to lower the melting point of the product.More recently, reputedly successful attempts have been made to reduce iron preferentially from manganiferous iron ores, simultaneously removing the phosphorus with the iron, by means of an unusually high temperature blast and excess coke.Anson G. Betts 6/ patented a process for the matte-smelting of manganese ores, in which the ore was mixed with pyrite and enough carbon or coke to serve as thermal energy and reducing, agent in a manner similar to the standard blast-furnace process. This process was intended to give pig iron, a manganese-iron matte, and a waste slag. Wood, Barrett, and Porath 7/ presented data on the treatment of low-grade, domestic, manganiferous iron ores and low-grade, domestic manganese ores by this Betts mattes pelting process."

Aug 1, 1942

By Donald J. Frendzel

The post-World War II expansion of the Soviet petroleum industry has established the U.S.S.R. as a major oil-producing nation and has led to Russian reentry into the international petroleum trade. The rapid growth of Soviet petroleum production will allow the U.S.S.R. to displace Venezuela as the world's second largest oil-producer in 1960 and to narrow further the gap between Soviet and U.S. crude-oil production. U.S.S.R. crude oil output was only a tenth of U.S. production in 1946, but it will be more than a third at the end of 1960 and more than half in 1965. The Soviet Seven-Year Plan (1959-65) for oil provides for substantial increases in petroleum production, refining, storage, and distribution facilities. Crude oil production and primary distillation capacity are to double, considerable storage capacity is planned, and pipelines for crude oil and petroleum products are to increase threefold. According to the Soviets, the initial phases of this plan (1959 and 1960) have been completed successfully. However, this progress has been achieved with difficulty.

Jan 1, 1961

By GEORGE S. POPE

The Government of the United States annually expends approximately $8,000,000 for coal. Prior to 1906, this coal was purchased mainly on its reputation, or trade name, rather than under contracts specifying the heating value of the coal, its contents of ash and moisture, and other characteristics. In recent years the Government and other large consumers have appreciated more and more the desirability of definitely determining by chemical analyses and tests the character and quality of coal deliveries. Studies of engineroom and boiler-room efficiencies and economies point forcibly to the necessity of devoting more thought to the improvement of the boiler-room end. This calls for an intimate knowledge of the character and quality of the fuel used. The analyses and tests of delivered coal furnish such data, whereby the power-plant results can be comprehensively studied and a continuous check maintained on the coal and on the conditions of plant operation. Under authority of acts of Congress making appropriations for analyzing and testing fuels belonging to or for the use of the United States Government, a laboratory is maintained at the headquarters of the Bureau of Mines, 'Washington, D. C., where samples representing deliveries of coal purchased for Government use are analyzed and tested. The Bureau of Mines has been active in promoting the purchase of coal by the Government under specifications,a that is, by contracts that make definite requirements regarding the heating value of the coal expressed in British thermal units, and the composition as shown by proximate analysis. Under many of these specification contracts the bidders guarantee the quality of the coal offered, and that guaranteed by the successful bidder becomes the standard of his contract. The deliveries are sampled and analyzed to determine whether the coal is of the quality guaranteed by the contractor, and if it is not, the price to be paid is decreased in proportion; but if the coal is of higher quality, the price is proportionately increased. The analyses of coals or the guaranties offered by the bidders may in some cases be used for determining the award of a contract, but if the coals offered are of widely different characteristics, it may be difficult to determine which would prove the cheapest fuel, without having their relative evaporative efficiencies. Hence, it may be necessary to conduct evaporative tests under service conditions in order to determine which coal is particularly adapted for successful and economical use in the plant. But once a particular coal is selected, regardless of the procedure of determining the award of a contract, then the greatest advantage of the specification method is realized, in that it guarantees to the purchaser coal of uniform character and quality, thereby insuring the best results in the plant. The cost of purchases, under such specifications, of fueL for the use of the Government now aggregates approximately $4,100,000 per annum, and the cost of additional fuel for which samples are taken and submitted to the Bureau of Mines for analysis in order to determine the character and quality of the coal furnished aggregates some $3,000,000 per annum more. In fact, information is now obtained regarding the quality of fuel purchased on almost all contracts large enough to warrant sampling and analysis and heatingvalue tests. It may be said that the purchase of coal under specification is still in the stage of evolution and development, and that experience and time will be required to develop fully standard specifications and methods of sampling and analysis that may be used universally. The success of the specification method for the purchase of coal and the reliability of analysis now rests almost entirely on sampling.a Improper sampling leads to controversies, with resulting condemnation of the specification method in general and the value of laboratory analyses and tests in particular. A number of bulletins b have been published showing the results of the purchase of coal by the Government under specifications. This bulletin is a compilation of the results of coal analyses by the Government, including those made in the fiscal years 1908-1910, which have been previously published, and later analyses representing coals analyzed during the fiscal years 1911-1915. The preceding bulletins gave individual analyses or average monthly analyses, whereas this bulletin gives the average analyses only for the entire contract. It is hoped that this compilation of a series of comparable analyses of the coals purchased by the Government will be of value alike to coal dealers, to Government engineers, to purchasing agents, and to all users of coal.

Jan 1, 1916

By S. J. Hemberger, F. W. Lee, J. H. Swatz

"INTRODUCTION This investigation was undertaken in 1939 for the purpose of securing the necessary information relating to the field techniques and accuracy that would be needed for magnetically surveying State-wide areas. The Florida,peninsula was chosen for such a study for two reasons: First, because it is geologically ideal for such an investigation, since it comprises a series of unconsolidated, flat-lying Tertiary and Cretaceous sediments of low magnetic susceptibility covering a complex and much-folded crystalline basement comprised of rocks carrying strongly -paramagnetic materials; second, because information concerning the structural trends of the crystalline basement would be of great interest and Importance in the study of Appalachian orogeny and the relationship of the Florida Peninsula to both the Appalachian and Antilleantectonte systems. The results of this magnetic survey have clearly demonstrated that the magnetic anomalies reflect variations in the crystalline a basement. To the degree which the structures of the crystalline basement control the structures of the overlying sediments these results are useful for oil exploration.MAGNETIC OBSERVATIONSAll magnetic measurements were made with a vertical Aekania magnetic variometer having a temperature compensated needle. All observations were tied into two base stations located at Fort. Myers and Gaineeville, Fla. The absolute vertical magnetic intensities at these two bass stations were determined by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey within an accuracy of + 10 gammas. The accuracy of the base station variometer used in the present survey was of the order of ± 3 gammas. The sensitivity throughout the survey of the magnetic variemoter used on the traverses approximated 30 gammas per scale division and it is estimated that the probable error between stations along a traverse would be about + 5 gammas. Measurements were started on traverse C near Fort Myers and tied into the Fort Myers base station established by the Coast and Geodetic Survey. Twelve traverses, comprising 1,500 station observations, wore occupied between the Fort Myers and Gainsville base stations. When the cumulative total of these 1,500 interim observations was tied into the Gainesville base station it was found to differ by only 30 gammas from the value obtained by the Coast and Geodetic Survey for that base. The observations were adjusted for this difference."

May 1, 1945

By Margaret E. Egan

Reliable fire detection is essential for both safe evacuation and containment or extinguishment. In order to increase reliability by reducing the number of nuisance fire alarms in underground mines that use diesel-powered equipment, the U.S. Bureau of Mines has developed a diesel-discriminating fire detector (DDD). It was designed to discriminate between smoke produced by a fire and the smoke-laden exhaust of a diesel engine. Experiments were conducted by the Bureau to compare the smoke detection capabilities of the DDD with those of conventional fire detectors in response to smoldering coal and conveyor belting. A comparison was made among the alarm times of a carbon monoxide (CO) detector with an alarm threshold of 5 ppm, a smoke detector with an optical density alarm threshold of 0.044 of', and the DDD with an alarm threshold of 0.025 V. The results show that the DDD will reliably detect developing coal and conveyor belt fires. The average time delay separating the DDD alarm from the first detector to alarm was 76 s for smoldering conveyor belt and 65 s for smoldering coal. The longest time delay between the response of the DDD and the first detector to alarm was approximately 120 s.

Jan 1, 1993

By Arnold P. Pipilen

In a study of the principal factors affecting the transport of coal-water mixtures through a centrifugal pump and a pipeline, the interrelation between solids concentration, velocity, and pressure drop was established for a bituminous lump coal (minus 2 inch) in concentrations up to 48 weight-percent. An optimum concentration was found to exist for maximum capacity of a given pipe-line, and for minimum energy requirements per ton of coal. Coal size degradation by particle fracture took place in the pump; abrasion and attrition to form fines took place in both pump and line. A novel system of studying flow of solid-liquid mixtures in pipelines by the determination of relative sound intensities was developed.

Jan 1, 1966

By G. St. J. Perrott, G. W. Jones

"In cooperation with The Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of Boston, Mass., a survey was conducted in 1929 and 1930 by the United States Bureau of Mines to determine the general hazards of combustible gases and vapors in manholes and other underground openings owned by this company. The territory served approximates 650 square miles and includes 46 cities and towns. The transmission and distribution systems are on overhead construction and underground wires and cables run in underground conduits and manholes. There are 17,000 manholes on the system, and also an area in Boston proper served by the Edison tube system. These conduits and manholes are laid in various types of streets from the most modern type of cement roadbed to the older type of loose macadam. The conditions as found could be considered as typical of any public utility in the electric-light and power field. The survey extended over a period of about a year beginning in June, 1929, and ending in July, 1930, and during this time 1,765 different manholes were tested and a total of 4,068 tests were made.Previous to starting the actual survey, one of the writers, G. W. Jones, spent considerable time in Boston determining the best methods of practical· test procedure. In this work cooperation was given by John Campbell, superintendent, special service department, who for a number of years has been making a study of explosions in underground street areas and preventive measures in Boston and various cities.After this preliminary investigation the tests were continued by employees of the Edisun Company. Copies of all records of tests were forwarded to the United States Bureau of Mines Pittsburgh Experiment Station so that the writers were in close touch with the progress of the survey, and changes could be made in the test procedure whenever deemed necessary."

May 1, 1931

By Carl L. Bieniewski

U.S. molybdenum production increased fivefold from 18.2 million pounds in 1946 to 90.5 million pounds in 1966, and constituted 87.3 percent of the total free world supply in the 1946-66 period. Mining development in other free world countries in the next few years may reduce the magnitude of the U.S. position, although similar development planned for the United States may counteract some of the relative gains by those countries. In 1966 two-thirds of the reported molybdenum consumption in the United States by end uses was as an alloying element in steel. Molybdenum also has important use as an alloying element in iron and high-temperature alloys. Consumption of molybdenum metal for making fabricated parts has increased in the past few years, especially in the space and nuclear industries. Molybdenum compounds are used mainly for making pigment, catalysts, and lubricants. Based on producer reports of shipments of primary products to domestic customers, U.S. consumption of molybdenum increased from 16.5 million pounds of molybdenum in 1946 to 65.6 million pounds in 1966. U.S. molybdenum reserves are now estimated to be 5.9 billion pounds of recoverable molybdenum, an increase of 2.1 billion pounds above previous estimates. Molybdenum ores account for 71.4 percent of the reserves, copper ores for 22.3 percent and copper-molybdenum, tungsten, and uranium ores for 6.3 percent. Several methods for predicting future demand are illustrated and estimates of demand using these methods were made for 1975. Based on present capacities and announced company plans for future developments, estimates of annual production were made for 1967 through 1975 for the United States, Canada. Chile, Peru, and the free world. These data indicate that molybdenum production in 1975 for the free world is expected to be 246 million pounds with the United States producing 68.2 percent and Canada, Chile, and Peru 30.3 percent.

Jan 1, 1970

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) defines an independent contractor as “any person, partnership, corporation, subsidiary of a cor-poration, firm, association or other organization that contracts to perform services or construction at a mine.” Contractors that perform specific types of work are required to report the number of employees who work at coal mines and noncoal mines.

Sep 1, 2007

By Charles B. Kenahan

A summary of Bureau of Mines research on utilization and disposal of solid wastes is presented, accompanied by an extensive bibliography of related publications. The Bureau's Solid Waste and Materials Recycling Program is directed toward four main areas of research, development, and demonstration: (1) extraction of mineral, metal, and energy values from urban refuse; (2) upgrading and recycling of automotive and related ferrous and nonferrous scrap; (3) utilization and stabilization of mine, mill, and smelter wastes; and (4) recovery and reuse of values from industrial waste products. A contract and grant program that supplements the in-house research and aids in the training of manpower in management of mineral-, metal-, and energy -based solid wastes is also discussed. This publication is an updating of Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8460 issued March 1970.

Jan 1, 1971

By Edward C. Peterson

Recent studies indicate that the United States halt substantial reserves of ilmenite, one of the major titanium minerals. However, the studies showed that sources of rutile, another important source of titanium are limited. This paper summarizes and evaluates results and conclusions reached by the various investigations initiated by the Bureau of Mines and others pertaining to the titanium mineral resources of the Nation. Domestic occurrences of ilmenite that are economically exploitable by present-day beneficiation methods are found in Florida, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, and Virginia. These deposits are estimated to contain 50.3 million tons of titanium dioxide (TiO2). Occurrences of ilmenite that cannot be processed economically under present technological conditions are found in California, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. These reserves amount to 51.1 million tons of TiO2. Reserves of rutile found in the United States are estimated to be 1.8 to 2.1 million tons of TiO2. Other than occurrences in Florida and South Carolina, rutile is found either in small scattered bodies or in deposits where the mineral cannot be recovered economically by present beneficiation methods.

Jan 1, 1966

By T. E. Bernard

The CO2-absorbent canisters used in four approved rescue breathing apparatus were investigated. A breathing machine was used to simulate human expiration with gas flow rates of 26, 37, and 48 1/min of 3.5% CO2 in air. The exit gas CO2 concentration, the pressure drop across the canister, and the exit-gas temperature were monitored. The absorbent capacities of the packed-bed canister designs were found to be dependent on flow rate within the range studied, while the capacities of the other designs were less affected. The radial canister had the least resistance to breathing while the complex bed design proved to be the most effective in utilization of the chemical. The overall results indicated that LiOH (lithium hydroxide) has the highest capacity for CO2 absorption among the absorbents tested. It can be used in a simple packed-bed design while maintaining acceptable levels of resistance and exit-gas temperature. Examination of oxygen supply with respect to CO2-absorption capacity suggested that it is desirable to closely match CO2-absorption capacity with the avail-able O2 supply to minimize the size and weight of rescue breathing apparatus.

Jan 1, 1979

In 2006, 14,885 mining operations reported employment data to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).1 Almost half (48.2%) were sand and gravel mines, followed by stone mines (30.7%), coal mines (14.2%), nonmetal mines (5.0%), and metal mines (1.9%).

Jan 1, 2008

By John J. Henn

Ten proposed processes for the recovery of manganese from domestic resources as a high-grade oxide product are described. Nine of the processes employ sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, or a combination of both for leaching. The tenth process utilizes sulfur dioxide to sulfatize the ore at 600° to 850°C before water leaching. In addiction to these ten complete processes, six processes from the patent literature are described. Methods for receovering MnSO4?H2O are also reviewed.

Jan 1, 1968

By William H. King

The Mining Division of the Bureau of Mines has been making development and power-requirement studios for the Interior Department Missouri Basin Field. Committee. The studies by the Bureau of Mines have as their purpose, the summarizing of potential future power requirements in the mineral industry within the Missouri Basin, special emphasis being placed on possible expansion of these requirements through construction of new mining enterprises by private capital. In preparing a proposal for the production of phosphoric acid from phosphate rock near Lander, Wyo., it was found that the basic information on the physical and chemical characteristics of the phosphate beds to determine costs of mining and treatment was lacking.

Jan 1, 1949

By Glan Dale Coe, Will H. Coghill

"INTRODUCTION Characteristics of the mineral products that are to be contrasted herein are net energy consumed in grinding to a definite top limiting size and size distribution of the ground products. Through contrasts of these grinding characteristics this paper to differences in related mineral products and in unlike products. For,example, in anticipation of the data to follow, although Joplin chert and Babeitt taconits are running mates in defying the best crushing machinery, taconite is one of the more docile and Joplin chert one of the most refractory mineral products ordinarily fed to a grinding Routine grinding tests on a great variety of ores and tabulation of the findings have been covered amply by Lennox 4/ and by Maxon 5/ and associates. In contrast to that work, the present paper is a record of random tests made over a long period, and each answered an urgent question at the moment. The work was done at the Southern Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the University of Alabama. The pressure of war work prevented an organized investigation."

Apr 1, 1943

By John J. Sammarco

The U.S. Bureau of Mines is conducting research into computer-assisted mining, which requires investigation of new techniques for development and application of computer-based technologies. Today's technology can require significant effort in software development, as has become evident in the early stages of this Bureau research. Technologies for software automation, such as computer-aided software engineering (CASE), are available. This report explores CASE, its general features, and its importance in software development. Information is presented to assist in selection and application of the variety of CASE tools and methods for automating various stages of software development. When evaluating CASE for use, it is important to examine tools that support an organization's existing methods of software development. Support for existing hardware platforms must also be examined. Merely selecting a "good" CASE tool does not insure success. Thorough evaluation of implementing CASE is also critical. Subjects to evaluate for CASE implementation include organization culture, support from management and end users, training resources, and pilot projects. Organizations that benefit the most from CASE evaluate CASE features with respect to their needs and they properly implement CASE.

Jan 1, 1990

By E. Divers

This Bureau of Mines report presents results of an underground evaluation to determine the respirable dust and gas control effectiveness of a combined (push-pull) face ventilation system for coal mines. The system utilizes both blowing and exhaust curtain, continuous miners equipped with radio remote control, and flight conveyors. Bureau of Mines tests showed a 97% reduction in respirable dust concentrations from the usual cab position on the continuous miner to the remote control operator's position. This allowed the remote control operator to be well within, and the usual cab position to exceed, Federal respirable dust standards. Tests utilizing a safe tracer gas, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), to determine the face ventilation effectiveness of the combined blowing and exhaust system showed that the system also has excellent methane dispersion capability. Where wide entries permit, this combined face ventilation system and use of remote control can be a very effective method for dust and gas control.

Jan 1, 1982

By William D. Mayercheck

The U.S. Bureau of Mines is conducting research aimed at providing technology for a low-cost, high-recovery, environmentally acceptable mining system to recover the vast thin-seam coal reserves existing in the mountainous areas of the Appalachian region in the Eastern United States. As part of this research, the Bureau is evaluating new techniques to address these coal resources. This report summarizes the results of a worldwide technical search on thin-seam coal mining, the formulation of various methodologies for mining mountaintop thin seams, and the implementation and status of a physical model test program to validate and further develop the most promising concept-the "roof-fall-tolerant" mining system.

Jan 1, 1990