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By Patrick A. Hamilton

This Bureau of Mines report delineates the coal reserve base of anthracite, bituminous and subbituminous coals, and lignite, by mining method and sulfur content, for coal-bearing States west of the Mississippi River. The parameters used to establish the reserve base definition are the result of a joint agreement by the Federal Bureau of Mines and the U.S. Geological Survey. The reserve base of low-sulfur coal, =10 percent sulfur, is 167,324.5 million tons; medium-sulfur coal, 1.1-3.0 percent sulfur, is 37,531.5 million tons; and high-sulfur coal, >3.0 percent sulfur, is 11,244.1 million tons. The reserve base of coal with an unknown sulfur level is 18,323.0 million tons. The percentages of deep and strippable coal are 56 percent and 44 percent, respectively. The basis for reserve base estimates and analytical data for this report was the Fuels Availability System, a Bureau of Mines data bank containing numerous data tin fossil fuels. Information contained in the system was obtained from publications of the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Geological Survey, State agencies, private publications, and company data.

Jan 1, 1975

By R. A. Westin

[Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCR's) have been widely utilised as fire-resistant dielectric coolants; in electrical equipment used in mining applicants, including transformers, capacitors, electric motors, and electromagnets. In addition, PCB's have been used in hydraulic fluids and heat-transfer fluids and are present in many oil-filled transformers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently banned the manufacture of PCB's and equipment using PCB's, and imposed strict requirements on the continued use and disposal of existing PCB equipment. This manual discusses the EPA requirements, suggests ways to decrease the risks resulting from continued use of PCR equipment, and surveys the non-PCB equipment that is available as replacements for the PCB electrical equipment presently used in mines.]

Jan 1, 1980

By Steven C. Goddard

Since the passage of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, the need for improved duet control methods has become imperative. It has been proposed that one promising dust control technique would be the application of water through the cutter drum. In November of 1972, the Jeffrey Mining Machinery Co., who had been pursuing the development of wet drum miners since 1969, completed the manufacture of a 120M HELIMINER which had sprays in front of the cutting bits on a fixed width drum. On June 27, 1973 Jeffrey and the Bureau of Mines signed the contract numbered B0232060 for the purpose of evaluating "the effectiveness of respirable dust control on a Jeffrey 120M HELIMINER by use of water piped through the head." This evaluation, as described by the contract, was to be accomplished by the collection and analysis of dust samples at various locations of an operating mine production section.

Jan 1, 1974

By Robert M. Baker

This document details the method whereby Allen Corporation of America gathered and analyzed data and developed an annotated bibliography of metal and nonmetal mine fire reports (1950-1979). The primary objective of this program was to develop the annotated bibliography which included MSHA accident reports and periodicals. Two additional objectives were to gather data on non-reportable fires and to conduct statistical analyses on the data to delineate trends. Data was acquired from three major areas: periodicals, MSHA fire reports, and mine safety directors. Data was separated into reportable fires (at least ½ - hour duration or injury), non-reportable fires, and opinion data. The data was then analyzed by time trends, state, ore, ignition source, burning substance, location, equipment, detection, duration, injuries, fatalities, and successful extinguishing agent. The authors make a number of recommendations: (1) improved stationary electrical equipment design and fire protection, (2) improved design of mobile equipment to separate combustibles from ignition sources, (3) improved maintenance, (4) improved housekeeping, and (5) improved training. The document is divided into two volumes and an appendix. Volume I contains data acquisition procedures, data analysis procedures, and conclusions and recommendations. Volume II contains a chronological list of mine fires and fifteen indexes to assist the reader in locating fire incident report of interest. The Appendix contains the annotated bibliography of over 300 metal and nonmetal mine fire reports and journal articles and a list of non-reportable fires.

Jan 1, 1980

By W. P. Yant

A previous report of the Bureau of Mines dealt with the toxicity of dichlorodifluoromethane5, a new refrigerant that has a remarkably low toxicity. Continued research by the Prigidaire Corporation6 and toxicological experiments performed in the Laboratory of Applied Physiology of the University of Cincinnati7 revealed another organic fluoride, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, whose toxicity also appeared to be of a very low order and whose physical-and chemical properties make it suitable for refrigeration purposes. In addition to low toxicity, safety in its use is further enhanced by its physical properties, which permit the design of equipment that operates at comparatively low pressures and hence mitigates the dangers and problems of leakage. The investigation described in this report was performed by the Bureau of Mines at the request and with the cooperation of the Frigidaire Corporation.

Jan 1, 1932

By Doris M. Hyde

The 350,000-barrel-per-day Bahamas Oil Refining Co remained closed throughout 1986. Financially troubled Charter Oil Co., joint owner of the refinery with Chevron Oil Bahamas Ltd., agreed in principle to have Chevron assume full ownership in return for canceling debts owed Chevron. Finalization of the agreement was pending at yearend. Burmah Oil Ltd. took more than a $30 million loss on the sale of its interest in South Riding Point Grand Bahama Transshipment Terminal to South Riding Point Terminal Holding Ltd.

Jan 1, 1988

By Terry R. Neumann

This document, prepared for the U.S. Bureau of Mines Regional Mineral Assessment Program, presents data pertinent to the mineral resource assessment of the Needles 1° x 2° map quadrangle (excluding the Arizona portion), located in the Mojave Desert southeastern California. The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) mineral survey of the quadrangle, conducted from 1991 to 1993, was done to provide the minerals data necessary to support effective land use planning and resource decision making. To this end, this report (1) inventories historic and current mining activity, (2) inventories identified resources, (3) provides an economic analysis; of identified mineral resources and estimates their feasibility for development, (4) delineates areas of exploration and development potential based on current geological, geochemical, and geophysical information, (5) supplies information on land status, transportation networks, power supplies, water availability, and regulations, and (6) analyzes socio-economic impacts of potential mining. The Needles quadrangle is in the Basin and Range province of the southwestern United Van. The area is underlain by a lithologically and structurally complex Proterozoic crystalline basement of gneiss and granite that is overlain by sparse, scattered outcrops of deformed and metamorphosed Late Proterozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary sequences. Mesozoic granitic plutons, particularly in the western half of the quadrangle, intruded the basement and sedimentary rocks, resulting in metamorphism and deformation responsible for the formation of high-grade gneisses and mylonitic rocks (core complex) in the eastern part of the quadrangle. Voluminous Tertiary volcanism unconformably overlie some older sequences. The structure of the area is dominated by Basin and Range extensional block faulting; in the eastern part of the area, block faulting is accompanied by widespread low-angle detachment faulting associated with core complex development.

Jan 1, 1993

By P. S. Haury

"INTRODUCTION Preliminary examinations of the Mohawk zinc prospect were made by John 14. Price and the author in July, August, and September 1943. Considerable quantities of oxidized lead and zinc minerals were found in old shallow work¬ings along two faults - one an over thrust fault with Paleozoic limestone in the hanging wall overlying Cretaceous shale and arkose in the footwall of the fault, and the other a bedding fault in the Paleozoic limestone.The chances appeared good for finding important lead-zinc sulfide ore bodies at 200 to 300 feet beneath the surface, so exploration in three steps by the Bureau was recommended:Surveying, mapping, and character sampling of the outcrops with topographic and geologic mapping of the immediately surrounding area.Preliminary drilling of four test holes, aggregating about 1,500 feet, to locate the top of a possible sulfide ore zone and determine the thickness and intensity of the sulfide mineralization.Contingent upon favorable results of the second step, diamond drilling of about 6,300 feet of additional hole to explore the sulfide ore bodies.The outcrops were surveyed and sampled, a topographic map was made of the area, and the geology was mapped. A project was set up for preliminary drilling of step 2 in the fiscal year 1944-45. An access road to the drill sites was built in April 1945. Diamond drilling was started on April 28 and completed on September 25, 1945, under the supervision or the Bureau of Mines. The exploratory work is covered in this report."

Oct 1, 1946

By B. R. Mohal, S. Chander

"The adsorption and wetting behavior of freshly ground and aged coals has been determined in the presence of a nonionic surfactant. The amount of surfactant adsorption changes with the concentration and ""age"" of the coal. The freshly ground coal has smaller amounts of adsorption at lower surfactant concentrations than the ""aged"" coal whereas at large surfactant concentrations, the order is reversed . In the latter case, more surfactant is adsorbed on fresh coal than on the ""aged"" coal . . It is proposed that at low concentrations, the surfactant adsorbs through both hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions with the molecule lying parallel to the· surface, whereas at higher concentrations surface micelles form at the hydrophobic sites. The wetting behavior correlates well with the adsorption behavior.INTRODUCTIONNonionic surfactants have many applications in the coal and mineral processing industry. They can be used as dispersing agents to modulate flotation, flocculation and filtration of particulates (1). They can also be used to increase the wettability of hydrophobic solids such as coal and can hence be used as dust suppressants (2,3). Although the adsorption of representative nonionic surfactants such as Triton N-101 (an ethoxylated nonylphenol with 9.5 moles of ~thylene oxide and HLB equal to 13.4) have been studied extensively on substrates such as calcium carbonate (4), silica (5) carbon black (6) and graphite (7), very few studies are available for coals. Coals differ from other substrates with respect to two important characteristics: 1) coal are porous and 2) coals consist of a patchwork of hydrophobic and hydrophilic sites (8). Since the adsorption characteristics of a surfactant are influenced significantly by the nature of the substrate the characteristics of the coals must be taken into consideration."

Jan 1, 1989

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 Paul Meadows

This Bureau of Mines report presents operating practices and results of pressure maintenance and secondary recovery by water injection or by water injection supplemented by gas injection. Particular emphasis is placed on the results of water injection, which is the principal oil-recovery method employed in projects covered by this report. No attempt is made to study gas-injection projects or operations that are considered water-disposal projects. Also, this report does not include water-injection projects that have not been in operation long enough to evaluate results. Figure 1 is a map of north Louisiana showing the geographical locations of the projects included in this report. Most of the data used in this study were supplied by unit operators, operating companies, and the Louisiana Department of Conservation. Reservoir information and recovery data are generally those supplied by the operators, but include revisions where deemed necessary.

Jan 1, 1962

By William W. Adams

A larger measure of safety attended the operation of the stone quarries and related plants in the United States during the calendar year 1935 than in any other year for which annual records are available for the industry. The accident rate, covering fatalities and nonfatal injuries that disabled an employee beyond the remainder of the day on which the accident occurred, was 38.19 per million man-hours of work performed. The nearest approach to this favorable record was in 1932 when the rate was 38.48. The rate for 1934 was 41.82; hence the record for 1935 was 9 percent better than that for 1934. Reports from operating companies showed that 51 men were killed by accidents in 1935 and 4,152 men were injured. (See table 37.) The industry employed 73,005 men and performed 110,033,341 man-hours of labor, an average of 1,507 hours of work per man. Measured in man-days, the total volume of labor was 14,623,303, or an average of 200 days of 7.52 hours per day for each man employed. These figures are not strictly comparable with similar figures for the preceding year, as the, coverage of the industry was more complete for 1935 than for 1934 because special facilities were available to the Bureau of Mines for conducting the 1935 canvass that were not available for the 1934 canvass. Reports covering identical plants that were active both in 1934 and 1935 indicate a reduction of about 7 percent in the number of men employed in 1935. This fact suggests that the apparent increase in the number of workers in 1935 is attributable chiefly, if not entirely, to the more complete coverage of operating plants in 1935. The plants from which this inference is drawn employed 21,799 men in 1934 compared with 20,248 in 1935.

Jan 1, 1937

By Robert L. Frantz

The performances of the three bituminous coal demonstration methane re¬covery boreholes, located in Greene County, Pennsylvania, are reviewed. Development of these vertical holes was largely underwritten by project funds. Reference is also made to an anthracite coal methane project in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. This involved one vertical hole and was underwritten by a utility company. In addition, an exploratory drilling in the southern anthracite, which provided the project group with coal cores for methane gas analysis, is also cited. The technical and economical data that were gathered from the various methane projects are analyzed. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of methane recovery by vertical boreholes are assessed.

Jan 1, 1978

By Donald H. Koch

The project investigated the impacts of coal and mineral storage piles on both ground and surface water quality. The study consisted of two major tacks, Task 1 had two phases. The first phase was field investigations in which ten cons and mineral stockpile sites (5 coal, 5 mineral: phosphate, lead, copper, iron, uranium) across the country were visited to determine the actual impart of coal and mineral stockpiles on writer quality. The second phase of Task I was a series of leaching experiments in which drainage from the ten coals and minerals was controlled and monitored to survey the extent to which storage piles release toxic ions to ground and surface waters. Task IT was n review of pollution abatement techniques with three generic treatment examples applied to lead-zinc ore, eastern coal, and uranium ore stockpile leachate. Major conclusions drawn from the completion of Tasks I and II include: water quality impacts are site specific, there is n high correlation between sulfide content of u material and its solution potential, and the selection of the best treatment alternative for n specific coal or mineral storage area must be based on site-specific criteria, pilot studies on representative leachate samples, and sound engineering design.

Jan 1, 1982

By Alexander Siefert, Steffen Pankoke

In the development of commercial vehicles as well as of passenger cars, the effects of vehicle vibrations on operating safety, health and comfort can only be predicted by numerical simulation when appropriate occupant models are available. Such models must be based on human anatomy and have dynamic properties of real humans in order to achieve realistic results. Since human dynamic behavior depend on posture and percentile, the occupant model needs to be adjustable to these parameters with respect to geometry and dynamic properties [1,2]. Dynamic Human Finite-Element-Model CASIMIR CASIMIR is a non-linear, dynamic finite-element-model of the human body. It consists of a dynamic model of the upper torso with head, neck, shoulders and arms as well as of a dynamic model of the lower extremity with pelvis and legs. The most important part is the lumbar area with dynamic non-linear models of the lumbar spine and of back and abdominal musculature. The frequency-dependent characteristics of the intervertebral discs and the effects of muscle activation and non-linear frequency-dependent muscle properties are included. In the latest stage of development, CASIMIR has been equipped with a compliant model of the body surface in the contact areas to the seat. This results in a very realistic transmission of static and vibrational forces into the human body, see fig. 1. Intense model verification and validation has been performed in all stages of model development, starting with validation of small components like intervertebral disc, ending with validation of whole-body-vibrations using measurements of the dynamic mass / mechanical impedance [4]. For an in-detail examination of stresses in the vertebral bodies and discs, a non-linear submodel of the lumbar spine with an increased number of degrees of freedom can be coupled to the whole-body-model, enabling the researcher to examine local effects of vibrations and single shocks on the lumbar materials. [ ] Since it is well known that human dynamic behavior is significantly affected by anthropometric data and posture, CASIMIR can be individualized to the anthropometric status of single individuals or to the mean values for specific percentile groups. Furthermore, posture can be adjusted to the seating conditions applicable to a specific vehicle. Posture modification capabilities include the variation of the lumbar lordosis [3].

Jan 6, 2006

By GEORGE S. POPE

This bulletin is a revision of Bulletin 63 and is published by the Bureau of Mines in order that purchasers of coal for Government, State, municipal, or private use may be informed regarding advances or refinements in sampling coal deliveries and preparing specifications for the purchase of coal. The purchase of coal by the Government under specifications depending on the heating value of the coal, its content of ash and of moisture, and other considerations, rather than upon the reputation or trade name of the coal, was based on the fuel investigations begun by the Technologic Branch of the United States Geological Survey in 1904. The plan was first adopted by the Treasury Department in 1906. Since then the plan, variously modified in form, but the same in principle, has been gradually adopted by other departments until, at present, of the coal used by the Government, the total value of which approximates $8,000,000 annually, more than half is purchased under specifications. The Government publications dealing with the adoption by the Government of the specification plan, the number of contracts awarded on that basis, and the quality of the coal delivered under such contracts in the several fiscal years covered by the reports are given in publioations a listed at the end of this bulletin. Under the 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 under specifications for Government use are analyzed and tested. At this laboratory more than 1,200 samples have been analyzed and tested in one month. With the complete equipment and the efficient force employed, the analytical work has been so perfected that the analyses and heating-value tests of the samples received are as accurate as may be reasonably expected in laboratory work of this nature. One of the serious drawbacks to the general adoption of the specification method for the purchase of coal is the difficulty of obtaining at reasonable cost samples of coal that can be considered fairly representative of the commercial product delivered in wagons, railroad cars, or ships. Therefore the method of taking and preparing samples for shipment to the laboratory has been given fully as much care as the making of the analyses and tests, and a general plan of collecting samples fairly representative of the delivered coal has been evolved through various modifications and improvements based on experience and increased knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of the various coals that are purchased by the Government. The method that is in general use by the Government is described in the following pages. In connection with studies of the coal deposits of the country, of the best methods of preventing waste in mining, and of increasing efficiency in the utilization of coal belonging to or for the use of the Government, geologists and engineers of the United States Geological Survey and of the Bureau of Mines have visited more than 2,500 coal mines scattered through all of the coal-producing States and Territories. From each mine 2 to 8 or more samples were taken, the number depending upon the size of the mine and its output. The analyses and descriptions of the samples collected up to the end of the fiscal year 1913 are published in Bureau of Mines bulletins 22 a and 85,b and those of samples collected in the fiscal years 1914 and 1915 are presented in a bulletin that will soon be published by the bureau. A study of the analyses of these samples and of the samples taken from cars shipped from a number of the same mines shows that the mine samples are as a rule of higher grade than the average commercial shipments, particularly with respect to containing a lower percentage of ash and having a correspondingly higher heating value. This difference is due to the fact that the Government inspector, proceeding on the basis of what can be done by a good miner, usually removes more of the partings of bone, slate, and other extraneous matter from his mine samples than the average miner does in ordinary practice, the aim of the miner being to get the maximum number of tons past the tipple inspection, as his earnings are based on his output. The average miner, therefore, does not always take as much care as he might in rejecting the impurities. The difference may be caused, too, by the presence of pieces of the mine roof and floor in commercial shipments. The Government inspector can readily

Jan 1, 1916

By Robert J. Timko

In early June 1986, an underground fire of unknown origin erupted in one of several entries of a coal mine located in southwestern Colorado. For a time, mine personnel aggressively fought the fire. However, control of the fire was later lost. To prevent further damage and reduce the possibility of an explosion, all portals and shafts to the mine were sealed. The mine operator requested the U.S. Bureau of Mines' assistance in obtaining and analyzing mine fire gases taken from sampling ports placed through the mine seals, as well as down boreholes drilled after the fire. This report recounts activities within the first 2 years of the mine being sealed. It includes a description of gases analyzed and mine atmosphere status equations generated from the analyzed gases. The gases were analyzed by chromatography and included standard atmospheric gases as well as higher hydrocarbons that are found in postfire atmospheres. Nine equations were used to evaluate what was occurring within the sealed mine. Following a description of the rationale behind each equation, the 2-year trend is briefly analyzed.

Jan 1, 2010

By W. J. Fene, G. W. Grove

An important activity of the Safety Division of the Bureau of Mines , in its efforts to reduce accidents , is the safety inspection of mines . Inspections are made at the request of the operators and are not connected with the inspections by the various State departments of mines . The operating management is furnished with a confidential report of the results of the Bureau's inspections , with recommendations for elimination of the hazards found . These mine - safety inspections include a study of mining practices , conditions , and equipment and in some cases the sampling and analysis of mine air and coal dust . The Bureau of Mines has no regulatory powers , therefore the recommendations made in these reports are merely suggestions , and operators are not required to adopt them . Mine inspections are a check on safety standards , methods , and practices and are essential to any accident -prevention program . A foreman or superintendent may be sincere in his efforts to operate a mine safely and believe that he has done everything possible to attain this end . However , experience has shown that because of his familiarity with the mine and the consequent " nearness " of its various features many unsafe conditions may be , and in most cases are , overlooked ; an inspector , particularly an outsider who is trained to look for hazards , can point out the unsafe conditions overlooked by the foreman or superintendent . Some companies employ safety engineers who make regular inspections of their mines , report substandard conditions and hazards found , and make recommendations for correcting them . Unless these recommendations are carried out the inspections have little value . In making recommendations , due consideration should be given to the feasibility of carrying them out ; the management may and very often does consider a recommendation impracticable because of the

Mar 1, 1935

By Walter D. Holland

This is one of a series of instruction guides developed to help instructors present health and safety training courses to workers in the metal and nonmetal mining industry. This course is intended for training those, usually the safety officers, who perform surveys for inhalation contaminants in above ground work areas. The handbook entitled ?Handbook for Surveys of Inhalation Contaminants in Above Ground Metal and Nonmetal Mining and Processing Work Areas? is used as a manual for the course and as a prime reference when performing the actual surveys or interpreting the sampling results. There are six experiments for the students to perform during the course to familiarize them with the sampling devices routinely used during the surveys.

Jan 1, 2011

By A. J. Barry

An apparatus and procedure have been developed for testing the anchorage effectiveness of slotted-type bolts. The apparatus consists of: (1) A hydrualic Jack assembly for loading the bolt and (2) a device (extensometer or cathetometer) for measuring displacement of the bolt as it is loaded. This apparatus and procedure permit measurment of anchor slip for loads up to the yield load of the bolt. Two representative makes of slotted-type bolts (a total of 94 bolts) were tested in typical sandstone and shale mine roof. Analysis of the test results showed that (1) anchorage capacities up to the yield load of the bolts can be developed in either rock type; (2) the shape of the slotted end of the bolt affects the ease with which the bolt can be driven; (3) all bolts for which the driving distance was more than 1.25 inches produced satisfactory anchorage in both rock types (thus, driving distance can be used as a criterion for satisfactory anchorage); (4) for the group of bolts that was satisfactorily anchored the anchor slip was unaffected by the type of bolt but was considerably larger in shale than in sandstone; and (5) the bolt expansion, that is, the amount the wedge expands the prongs in excess of the diameter of the hole, can also be employed as a criterion for satisfactory anchorage. Although the bolt-expansion and driving-distance results do not differ appreciably, the latter is recommended because it is easier to determine.

Jan 1, 1954