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By J. F. Barkley

"The fly-ash problem of the smoke-abatement engineer - who now might well be titled, ""Smoke and Fly-Ash Abatement Engineer"" - starts with the necessity for him to know what fly ash really is, what plants really create it, and how much is being created. Fly ash in this connection may be defined as all solid particles emitted to the atmosphere as a result of the combustion of fuel.COMPOSITION OF FLY ASHMuch can be learned about fly ash by studying samples with a strong magnifying glass or, preferably, a high-power microscope. As an example, figure 1 is a photomicrograph of an underfeed-stoker fly ash weighing 23.7 pounds per cubic foot, which passed a baffle-type cinder catcher and was caught by a Cottrell precipitator. Figure 2 shows a similar fly ash made at a higher stoker rating and weighing 36.2 pounds per cubic foot. The lighter ash contains more light, unconsolidated ash than the heavier. In both instances some of the ash has been fused to a glass, as is indicated by the spherical particles resembling marbles; however, the heavier dust contains more and larger spheres. With the faster burning and higher air pressures occurring at the higher burning rates, more of the larger fused spheres reached the precipitator.Such studies of fly ash frequently make possible correct determination of its source. For example, the Supreme Court Building, one of the finest of the Federal buildings in Washington, was having considerable difficulty with fly ash from some outside plant. It was thought to come from a nearby apartment house. A fly-ash trap was installed there, and care was taken in the operation of their underfeed stokers. The fly-ash nuisance continued. Microscopic examination of the fly ash found about the building compared with samples taken from the stack of the apartment house showed to the surprise of the accusing building superintendent that the present source was elsewhere. By the same means, the source was found to be a plant about ore-half mile away."

Sep 1, 1939

By S. McGinn

The Brunswick Mine Diesel Particulate Filter Study was one of several research projects initiated by the Diesel Emissions Evaluation Program (DEEP). The study was carried out at Noranda?s Brunswick Mine in Bathurst, New Brunswick by Noranda Technology Centre and Brunswick Mine personnel with the collaboration of Natural Resources Canada - Canada Centre for Minerals and Energy Technology (CANMET), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Andreas Mayer of VERT, and diesel particulate filter (DPF) system suppliers. The study began in early 2000. Field evaluations continued for 20 months. The final report?authored by Sean McGinn?was submitted to DEEP in the Autumn of 2003.

Jan 1, 2004

During the second quarter of 1983, the economic recovery showed further strength abetted by the performances of consumer spending, residential investment, and the slowing down of inventory reductions. Real gross national product (GNP) increased from the first to second quarter at an annual rate of 9.2 percent, compared with 2.6 percent from the fourth quarter of 1982 to the first quarter of 1983 and an overall 1.9- percent decrease in 1982. Total industrial production increased 1.8 percent in July, and productivity as measured by output per man-hour increased 1.3 percent between 1982 and the first quarter of 1983 (table 1). Especially noteworthy .was the performance of real consumer durable goods expenditures, which increased at an annual rate of 32.0 percent from the first to the second quarter (about half of the increase consisted of automobile sales) and real consumer spending, which increased between these periods at an annual rate of 9.7 percent. Residential investment increased at an annual rate of 76.1 percent between the first and the second quarters,1/ and private housing starts by about 38,000 units in both March and May.

Jan 1, 1983

By Terry J. Close

Between 1986 and 1989, at the request of the U. S. Bureau of Land Management, personnel from the U. S. Bureau of Mines Western Field Operations Center studied the highly-mineralized, 25,335-acre, Crack Canyon Wilderness Study Area (UT-060-028A), to evaluate its identified mineral resources. The 16-mi-long, 2-mi to 4-mi-wide stud/ area is on the southeast side of the San Rafael Swell, about 40 mi southwest of Green River, Emery County, southeast-central Utah. The study area is underlain by Mesozoic sedimentary beds. Uranium, the principle mineral resource, occurs in two formations. The principle uranium deposits are in mudstone, sandstone, and conglomerate lenses in the 22-mi-long outcrop of the Triassic Chinle Formation which parallels and straddles the northwest boundary of the study area, Some small low-grade uranium occurrences and an extensive gypsum deposit are hosted by the Jurassic-age rocks that underlie the southeast part of the study area.

Jan 1, 1989

This study relates to continuous face haulage systems in underground coal mines, and was performed by Joy Manufacturing Company for the U. S. Bureau of Mines under the Bureau of Mines Contract No. HO 242025. The effective starting date for this work was June 14, 1974. There were two main reasons for making this study, the first being to find a safer system to move coal away from the face than the currently predominant shuttle car system, and the second being to seek ways to advance the state-of-the-art of continuous face haulage as a means of increasing coal production.

Jan 1, 1975

By C. H. Fisher, M. L. Fein, A. Eisner, G. C. Sprunk, Loyal Clarke, H. H. Storch

"The large reserves of low-rank coals in the western United States are at a disadvantage in competing with the more mature but less plentiful eastern coals, which are nearer important markets and are more suitable for combustion and coke production. However, low-rank coals generally are amenable to hydrogenation, and the western coals might become an important source of liquid fuels and organic chemicals when petroleum is less plentiful.In view of these facts an the tremendous quantities available, further information on the western coals clearly desirable. The purpose of the work described in this paper was to study the hydrogenation characteristics of some of the low-rank western coals in discontinuous converters. The data obtained in this manner, which are inadequate for predicting the suitability of coals for large-scale continuous hydrogenation, were used as a basis for selecting samples for further study in the Bureau's experimental coal-hydrogenation plant (26, 35). 8/ Because of the general importance of the western coals and recently demonstrated relation between coal hydrogenation and petrograghy (14, 15, 16), the proportions of anthraxylon, (vitrain), translucent attritus, and opaque matter were determined. In some instances samples of anthraxylon were isolated and hydrogenated separately so that their properties might be compared with those of the entire coal. The samples studied include peat, brown coal, lignite, sub-bituminous coals, and low-rank bituminous coals."

Mar 1, 1940

By C. E. Gregory

In terms of a Research Proposals supported by a Grant Agreement dated 30 June 1973, the author was commissioned to prepare an annotated bibliography of mine fires. The main objective was to conduct a comprehensive program of library research and search of official files to prepare a list of articles dealing with actual occurrences of mine fires. This bibliography as now completed includes an annotated reference from each article or report cited, underlining the cause, extent, methods used, procedural errors made, results achieved, ventilation effects, and lessons learned from the operation of subduing the particular fire.

Jan 1, 1974

1. Proposals were submitted to the Western Administrative Center of the US Bureau of Mines, Denver, Colorado on 30th December, 1974 and Contract No J 0255003 was awarded, the effective date being 8th May, 1975. Dames and Moore, Denver, are associated with PD-NCB Consultants in regard to environ-mental problems, surface mining practice and legislation in US. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 2. Under the threefold pressures of -increased domestic fossil fuel demand -increased value of domestic energy resources -increased demand for environmental protection and safety

Jan 1, 1976

By W. W. Roepke

The Bureau of Mines has developed an interactive computer program that enables mine operators and others to identify the effect of cut-ting system changes on relative dustiness at the face. The program, which simultaneously evaluates machine parameters, coal seam parame-ters, and operator-controllable parameters, was developed for use on any microcomputer using BASIC programming language. The program allows the user to change one or more of the cutting system parameters at a time to see how these changes affect relative dustiness. A complete program listing and flowchart are included along with operating in-structions and sample outputs. An example showing how to use the program is also included.

Jan 1, 1985

By E. P. Carman

1. CARMAN, EVERETT P., OPPERMAN, MARTHA, NISHIYANA, SALLY, AND RACOOSIN, LEE. Bibliography of Bureau of Mines Investigations of Coal and Its Products, 1945 to 1950. B. 528, 1954, 60 pp. 40 cents. 2. ROSE, HAROLD J. Industry-Sponsored Coal Research in the United States. Chap. in Proceedings: Fifth International Conference of Directors of Mine Safety Research. B. 489, 1950, pp. 9-12. $1.25. Minerals Yearbook 3. STRINER, HERBERT E., CARMAN, E. P., AND GOODING, RICHARD M. Review of the Mineral-Fuel Industries in 1952. Minerals Yearbook 1952, Fuels, vol. 2 (pub. 1954), pp. 1-28.

Jan 1, 1958

By C. G. Maier

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

Jan 1, 1942

By W. I. Watson

The study considered all the institutional, resource reserve, technological, and economic factors relevant to the industry's present and future status, such as markets and marketing techniques, competition from other producers both domestic and foreign, federal and state regulations affecting the industry, quarrying and processing technologies, slate reserves and resources, and industry structure and economics. Constraints to the growth of the industry were assessed and scenarios proposed to solve some of the problems.

Jan 1, 1980

By Oliver Bowles

"Asbestos" is a name applied to a group of naturally fibrous minerals. Because it has the fibrous characteristics of silk or cotton and at the same time will not burn and has other advantageous properties as well, asbestos has specialized uses for which no adequate substitutes are yet available. Asbestos furnishes a major raw material for a great variety of essential products, the manufacture of which constitutes a vast industry. Asbestos generally occurs in irregular veins scattered throughout rock masses. Most of the fiber-bearing rock is mined in huge open-pit or underground workings. The fibers are separated from the rock and sorted into groups, according to length, in large, complex mills. The longer fibers are stripped to textile plants, where they are further fiberized and prepared in special machines and are used for spinning into yarn and weaving into unburnable cloth that has many important uses. The shorter fibers, which are much more abundant than the long ones, are used in asbestos-cement building materials in heat-insulating products and for a multitude of other applications. These processes and uses are covered in considerable detail in later sections of this report.

Jan 1, 1959

Mine waste and mine reclamation are topics of major interest to the mining industry, the government and the general public. This publication and its companion volume are the proceedings of a conference held in Pittsburgh, April 19-21, 1988. There were nine sessions (50 papers) that dealt with the geochemistry, hydrology and problems of mine waste and mine water, especially acid mine drainage. These comprise Volume 1. The nine sessions (43 papers) that dealt with reclamation and restoration of disturbed lands, as well as related policy issues, are included in volume 2. Volume 2 also contains the ten papers that pertained to control of subsidence and mine fires at abandoned mines. Poster session presentations are, in general, represented by abstracts; these have been placed in the back of both volumes.

Jan 1, 1988

By David E. Siskind

The U.S. Bureau of Mines and the State of Indiana cooperated with AMAX Coal Co. and its consultants to determine the effects of coal mine overburden blasting on nearby pipelines. Five pressurized 76-m pipeline sections were installed on the Minnehaha Mine highwall near Sullivan, IN, for testing to failure. Four 17-to 51-cm-diameter welded steel pipes and one 22-cm PVC pipe were monitored for vibration, strain, and pressure for a period of 6 months while production blasting advanced up to the test pipeline field. In contrast to previous studies of small-scale, close-in blasting for construction, these tests involved overburden blasts of up to 950 kg per delay in 31-cm blastholes. Analyses found low pipe responses, strains, and calculated stresses from even large blasts. Ground vibrations of 120 to 250 mm/s produced worst case strains that were about 25 pct of the strains resulting from normal pipeline operations and calculated stresses of only about 10 to 18 pct of the ultimate tensile strength. No pressurization failures or permanent strains occurred even at vibration amplitudes of 600 mm/s.

Jan 1, 2010

By Gordon R. Sima

The contract is concerned with feasibility studies, design and fabrication of a group of prototype hand-held test instruments and machine-mounted test instruments for measurement of electrical shock hazards of mining machines. An instrument for use in open pit mining machine ground wire verification was proposed, developed, built, and tested. This report presents the design and operational theory of the open pit instrument as well as information on the program to improve the original prototype hand-held machine-mounted test instruments.

Jan 1, 1977

By Julie N. Walker

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report reviews the first 2 years of the agency's progress in implementing total quality management (TQM), which the agency refers to as Quality Improvement (QI). All employees have been trained in basic TQM concepts, a cadre of facilitators has been selected and trained, and 13 Bureauwide teams are addressing specific issues that were identified by Bureau employees nationwide as problem areas. Also in place are a Quality Council composed of the Bureau's top executives, a Quality Management Board, and eight QI Working Groups to provide a national 01 infrastructure. There are also Quality Steering Groups at each Bureau location nationwide to address local concerns. In addition to the narrative text, the texts of salient memoranda and other documents are included as appendixes.

Jan 1, 1992

By William W. Adams

Accidents to men employed in the quarrying and related industries of the United States were more numerous, absolutely and relatively, in 1937 than in 1936. Fortunately, the entire increase was in the category of nonfatal injuries, as accidents causing death declined in number and in proportion to the number of man-hours worked. Employment increased. More men were employed, more man-days and man-hours were worked, and the average employee had more hours of work than in 1936. Reports covering all commercial operations showed that 84,094 men were employed an increase of 5.1 percent over 1936. The number of man-hours of work performed by the industry was, 158 millions, an increase of 7.6 percent. Seventy-seven men were killed by accidents, a, reduction of 14 from the year before, and 6,348 men were injured and disabled for more than the remainder of the day on which the accident occurred, 11 percent more than in 1936. The fatality rate of 0.49 per million man-hours of exposure in 1937 compared favorably with the rate of 0.62 for the previous year, whereas the non-fatal-injury rate of 40.10 was 3.2 percent higher than the rate of 38.87 for 1936.

Jan 1, 1940

By L. C. IlsLey

The theory and practice followed by the Bureau of Mines in investigating electrical equipment4/ made for service in gassy mines are of particular interest not only to manufacturers but also to those organizations that deal with safety anal inspection at the mines. This publication purposes to discuss the theory upon which tests of equipment in explosive atmospheres are based and to consider inspection and other matters pertaining to investigations made by the Bureau in ascertaining whether a machine merits approval. The material in this report is taken from an earlier bulletin,5/ which is row out of print, and has been revised and brought up to date to make the information again available to manufacturers, inspectors, and others interested in the development of safe equipment.

Jan 1, 1954

By J. D. Lane

The U.S. Bureau of Mines is conducting research on guidance systems for computerized haulage in underground mines. This report describes the process of component selection, installation and testing, perception algorithm development, and steering control algorithm development, to produce a real-time steering control system for an articulated haul truck for underground mining. Ultrasonic transducers were mounted on the truck to provide perception data by measuring the distance to the ribs. Linear potentiometers mounted inside the steering cylinders measured the steering angles. Algorithms, implemented on an inexpensive, robust onboard computer system, analyzed the data and controlled the steering via an electro-hydraulic proportional valve. The steering algorithm presented follows a zone defined by the relative position between the truck and a rib. Experimental verification of the ability to follow the zone in a test corridor on the Colorado School of Mines campus is presented. The automatic steering system successfully negotiated straight sections, curves, and the transition zones between straight and curves with the truck in first and second gears. The resulting real-time automatic-steering system can be applied to many underground articulated machines.

Jan 1, 1994