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This report describes Phase I of the project --Development of a Mechanized Scaler --performed by Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories for the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The objectives of Phase I were to 1) assess the needs of the industry as related to mechanized scaling; 2) conceive, evaluate and select mechanized scaler concepts; and 3) prepare preliminary designs of the selected machine concepts. To assess the scaling needs of the industry, we reviewed both U.S. and foreign literature, evaluated U.S. scaling accident statistics, reviewed existing mechanized scaling equipment, performed a series of mine visits and telephone interviews with mine operators, and assessed the applicability of a loose-rock detection system. The literature review identified over 25 scaler-related articles. However, little of the information could be used directly in the conceptualization and design portions of the project. Three articles did supply information on a number of machines used in Europe, along with statistics describing their effect on mine safety. For example, the French reported a 50% reduction in the total number of scaling-related accidents and a full 80% reduction in the number of lost-time injuries in the Lorraine mining district.

Jan 1, 1981

By J. Kretschmann

Mining heritage can be of outstanding value for many regions around the world, because mining has been done for thousands of years for the benefit of mankind and its development. This paper presents an ongoing project creating a general guideline for the handling of mining heritage on the basis of experiences made in Germany. Interactions of stakeholders in the ?heritage network? as well as strategies for the technical proceeding will be described. An action plan for the sustainable handling of mining heritage has already been developed in part, which includes necessary measures. Best-practice recommendations will be derived. Keywords: m ining heritage / preservation / guidelines / action plan / Sustainability

Feb 27, 2013

By Jack L. Henry

The ternary system A14C3-AIN-Al203 has been examined to determine compositions which may display desirable high-temperature refractory properties. Powder methods were employed in the synthesis of all test compositions. Forming and sintering behavior was examined and hot-pressing parameters were measured. Several properties were studied for each composition of interest in the system. The properties included hydrolysis rate in moist air, elevated temperature oxidation rate, density, softening point, tensile strength, and rupture strength. In most cases equilibrium was not achieved, and the data are representative of a nonequilibrium system. Approximately 16 separate phases have been observed in the system. Forming behavior and selected properties of five compositions of interest were compared with those of aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride. None of the compositions compared favorably. Oxidation and vaporization appear to be serious drawbacks to the use of these compositions at elevated temperatures.

Jan 1, 1969

By Leroy E. Schulze

A review of development and a reevaluation of uses of the hydraulic air compressor are suggested by the constant changes in technology, which frequently make an old art valuable in solving current problems. Contacts with research workers in various branches of engineering indicate that this older method of producing compressed air may not be familiar to some or that its salient features might be useful in solving problems involving uses of compressed air. Briefly, a hydraulic air compressor may be described as an inverted siphon, consisting of an intake head where water and air are mingled, followed by a gravity-fall tube in which air is intimately mixed with the water and is compressed as the water pressure increases during the fall down the tube, then a separating, or stilling, chamber in which air bubbles rise to the surface of the water and collect in the upper portion of the chamber at a pressure equal to the weterhead maintained by the height of water in the discharge leg of the circuit. The water, which now contains only the fraction of air that has gone into solution, passes out of the separating chamber and rises up the discharge leg to the surface, which is, of course, at some suitable distance below the level of the intake. Present-day applications include (1) utilizing low hydraulic heads, which otherwise have little commercial values; (2) utilizing low hydraulic heads in reclamation work to supply compressed air, or in some instances to produce a small suction, for air-lift pumping (or for operation of air motors), with minimum attendance and without need for electric power; (3) utilizing medium heads, as at dam and lock installations, to produce compressed air for pneumatic operation of airlifts, gates, valves, and rubber gate seals; (4) utilizing underground waters, as in mines, to produce compressed air for general mine use; (5) using this method of isothermal compression of air in combination with standard compressors wherever hydraulic head is available, thereby securing the advantages of low-temperature intake to the mechanical compressors and reduction of moisture content below that of atmospheric air; (6) development of large air supply at pressures up to 150 p.s.i.g., which, after performing work in reciprocating or centrifugal expansion cylinders, is available at temperatures approximating -50° F. Possibilities in freezing and reheating should be mentioned which may prove economical for obtaining uniformly dry air for process work, wind-tunnel tests, or large air-conditioning installations, such as ventilation of underwater traffic tunnels, and may be economic for supply of supercharged air to gas-turbine plants.

Jan 1, 1954

By Roberto Antoniolli

"IntroductionSINCE ancient times, the precious metals have played an important role in influencing the course of history. Silver and gold happened to occur, although in small amounts, in those countries where the early civilizations developed. Their persistent brightness certainly amazed the primitive people, who also found it easy to shape them into ornaments •and implements. Ever since then their properties have made them seem desirable possessions.Use of precious metals as money was the natural consequence of man's desire for them. The possibility of changing an ornament into a tool or food at any time, and the ease with which such medium of exchange could be carried and hidden, further increased the demand for the two metals.Silver was probably discovered after gold and copper, and was undoubtedly found by prehistoric man as native silver. The oldest silver articles have been discovered in Chaldean tombs and date back to 5000 B.C. The earliest ascertained producers of silver were Asia Minor and the Iberian Peninsula. The Romans worked deposits in Spain, Britain, and France. In the Middle Ages, some silver was extracted from German deposits, and near the end of the Middle Ages systematic workings were carried on at Freiberg, Schneeberg, and Joachimsthal (1).Before the discovery of the New Continent, the Aztecs and Toltecs in Mexico, and the Incas in Peru, had made extensive use of silver. In the 16th century the Mexican deposits became the largest source of the world silver."

Jan 1, 1954

By Nicholas P. Callas

This report presents research results obtained in the investigation of deviation control of boreholes in the rotary drilling process. The approach taken in this research is the passive method of placing stabilizers in the bottom-hole assembly to control deviation. Extensive use was made of the drill string mechanics theories of Lubinski and Woods. Analog, digital and hybrid solutions to variety of boundary value problems were investigated in order to determine the best models for bottom-hole assemblies. Field drilling data was analyzed and the results obtained from various models were compared to the actual drilling results. Various accomplishments of this work have been published in open energy industry literature, with more publications to follow.

Jan 1, 1981

By Alfred Petrick

This study gives an analysis of the copper system byproducts and discusses the identification and classification of byproduct metals and their supply systems. Arsenic, platinum-group metals, silver, gold, selenium, tellurium, molybdenum, rhenium, uranium, aluminum, magnesium, and byproduct copper, lead, and zinc from complex ores are covered. The report describes several metallurgical systems, the marginal and incremental products costs of byproduct subsystems, industry structure and organization, and the historical data on price, consumption, and supply. Supply curves are presented for about one-half of the byproduct metals studied. The study develops a conceptual framework for analysis by reviewing the present concepts of byproduct supply and the related price theory. It gives the sources of supply of the individual byproduct metals to indicate the importance of the byproduct supply to the total supply. Mills, smelters, and refineries processing byproduct materials for their metal content are identified by geographic location and company ownership, The study also includes information on the reserves-resource base supporting byproduct output, reserve estimates, and the demand aspects of each byproduct metal.

Jan 1, 1973

The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) announced plans to shut down production at the remaining two potlines at its Point Comfort, Texas primary aluminum smelter due to the increased costs of natural gas. Total capacity of the facility, which had been partially closed since 1976, was 185,000 tons per year representing 3.6 percent of current capacity in the United States. There were practically no price movements in March on 99.5 percent aluminum ingot, with producers at 53¢ per pound and dealers, 48¢-48.5¢. BISMUTH The March selling position of U.S. producer metal was held at $3.50 per pound. In contrast, east coast dealers and traders adjusted their quotes from $2.55-$2.60 to a wider range of $2.40-$2.60.

Jan 1, 1978

By C. O. Hawk

A PART of the Bureau of Mines effort to improve the conversion of coal to liquid fuels, batch autoclave tests were made on the hydrogenation of bituminous coal by a dry method, which featured charging the autoclave with dry ingredients only-coal, catalyst, and hydrogen. This innovation, which omitted the liquid vehicle used in earlier work, limited the products to those made from the coal charged. The effects of the common process variables (catalyst, hydrogen pressure, temperature, and residence time) were studied. Tin catalysts showed the highest activity in the widest variety of forms and were the easiest to disperse; dry mixing in the autoclave during the heating-up period usually sufficed. Ammonium molybdate, on the other hand, was inactive when dry mixed, but it compared favorably with the best catalysts known when applied by impregnating the coal with a solution of a molybdenum compound. As a group, metal naphthenates were the most effective; in fact, molybdenum naphthenate was the most active catalyst the Bureau tests disclosed. One-hundredth of a percent of molybdenum in this form (calculated as the metal in weight-percent of maf coal) induced 90-percent conversion of coal. However, because of their high cost, naphthenates have as yet only technical significance in coal hydrogenation. Long residence time and high reaction temperatures tend to increase the amount of thermal decomposition products formed (light hydrocarbon gases and/or char). High hydrogen pressure favors the production of liquids.

Jan 1, 1965

By Haskiel R. Shell

While the original purpose of the Bureau of Mines work on fluorine micas was to synthesize large single crystals or film suitable to replace natural muscovite or phlogopite, the objective was broadened to include development of the many possible fluorine micas as a class of new, unique materials. Several methods were developed for the synthesis of the fluorine micas at atmospheric pressure: Solid state reaction, melting in crucibles, internal resistance electric melting, and arc resistance electric melting. The latter two methods are now med commercially. A variety of fluoromicas were synthesized by isomorphic substitution including disilicic, trisilicic, and tetrasilicic. Fluorophlogopite, KMg3AlSi3O10F2, is the fluoromica most widely used. While most of the fluoromicas are completely stable to water, many water-swelling fluoromicas and fluoromontmorrilonoids were synthesized. Single crystals or film of the fluorine micas were grown to 2 inches or more by a number of methods, but none has as yet proved economical. In the report, detailed data and descriptions are given on compositions, syntheses, products, and uses, and on the properties including physical, dielectric, chemical, X-ray, optical, and structural.

Jan 1, 1969

By James T. McCartney, Joseph D. Davis

For more than 10 years coke-oven technologists have been investigating the expanding properties of coal on a scale larger than that afforded by laboratory test tubes. Koppers 4/ was among the first to realize that coals can not be differentiated satisfactorily with respect to expansion in coke ovens by the simpler test-tube methods; in his first method 80 grains of fine coal were coked in a cylinder heated from the bottom, so that the zone of fusion (plastic layer) advanced from the bottom to the top. The scale of test was too small; it has been modified by other investigators, but without significant improvement in practical application of the results. Somewhat later Koppers and Jendne 5/ experimented with a small-scale coke even, one wall of which was movable, in which the layer-coking in a coke oven could be simulated closely. This oven was heated from both sides. Their results with this oven showed a peak in the time-pressure curves near the end of the coking, period when the two plastic layers, advancing from opposite walls, meet. They also found that although the smaller oven was heated from one side only and did not show the Pressure peak characteristic of two-sided heating, it still gave results entirely too high. Russell built an oven similar to the movable-wall oven of Koppers and Jenkner and compared results obtained in it on Beckley expanding coal with these obtained on the some coal in the Altieri 7/ small-scale apparatus. Both tests were conducted at the same constant pressure, but heating was from two sides in Russell's oven and from one side in the Altieri tester. Russell found that the two types of test gave comparable results under constant pressure conditions even though the heating procedures were quite different. He showed later, however, that a "borderline" coal 8/ that contracted in the Altieri tester at constant pressure developed a peak pressure of 4 pounds per square inch in the movable-wall oven heated from both sides at constant volume. He concluded from this that testing at constant volume gave results more accurately indicative of dangerous expansion tendencies than those at constant pressure. He also found that heating from both sides in this oven gave higher pressure than heating from one side only.

May 1, 1942

By Albert Ladd Colby

A GLANCE through the Bibliography appended to this paper will show that the Transactions of this Institute contain what virtually contitutes a history of the development of the manu¬facture of steel rails in this country and abroad. It is, therefore, fitting that this paper, bringing one branch of this important subject down to date, should be here presented, and it is also appropriate to select this joint meeting of our Society with the Iron and Steel Institute to compare the specifications covering the rails produced in these two countries, and to propose a standard specification to govern the manufacture of American rails for export. During the last ten years the production of Bessemer steel rails in the United States and Great Britain has amounted to 32,128,720 gross tons. Nearly 19,000,000 tons have been rolled in the past five years. The next five years will see an even larger output, owing partly to the extension of railway projects in the Orient, in South and Central America, in Mexico, and in Australia and the other British Colonies. Of late years, the American rail-mills have so largely increased their daily output, that trade conditions have often made possible the delivery of American rails to foreign ports. The tenders submitted by American mills, however, have always been accompanied by requests for changes in the foreign specifications, chiefly in the reduction of the amount of testing required; and it has only been natural, especially at first, that the engineer, whose specification had always been accepted without question by British mills, should interpret American tenders 'as an evidence that an inferior rail would be furnished

Sep 1, 1906

By K. C. Dean

Discarded automobiles represent the greatest single resource of reusable metals, plastics, and rubber in the United States. This report presents results of Bureau of Mines research, conducted from 1965 to 1983, on separating and recovering useful materials from the scrapped hulks, using old and new metallurgical techniques combined with standard scrapyard methods. The Bureau determined the materials composition of three composite cars designated as circa 1960, mid-1970's, and early 1980's, and used these cars to study smokeless incineration and hand-sorting techniques. In studies on treating rejects from automobile shredders, the Bureau designed a process that included air classification, water elutriation, magnetic separation, handpicking, and heavy-medium separation, and also investigated cryogenics and liquation. Complete recovery of cop-per and other metals was economically made by hand and tool dismantling, leaching, or selective melting of starters and generators. Techniques are also discussed for plastic recovery and waste tire treatment.

Jan 1, 1985

Applications of helium in aerostatics, cryogenics, space, and undersea work are described in papers from the Helium Applications Symposium. Specific subjects include investigations of X-ray sources by means of balloon-borne instruments, meteorological soundings by balloons, powered lighter-than-air flight, tethered balloons, refrigeration techniques, large superconductive magnets, electronic devices, superconducting transmission lines, high-precision thermal conductivity analysis, He3-He4 dilution refrigerators, uses of helium in the atomic energy program, helium-cooled nuclear reactors, power- plant applications for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, helium welding of stainless steel tubing and pipe, development of helium-shielded arc welding, helium as a diluent in spacecraft atmospheres, helium utilization in the Saturn-Apollo program, and helium utilization in diving environments. Papers from the Helium Centennial Symposium at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society cover the history of the discovery of helium, the history of its development by the Bureau of Mines from a laboratory curiosity to an important item of commerce, the source of helium in natural gases, the world of liquid helium, and liquid helium-3.

Jan 1, 1969

By D. B. RUSHhIORE

I. INTRODUCTION. OF primary importance in mine-installations is the hoist, which has a very direct bearing on the successful operation of a mine. Conditions vary greatly with different mines, and especially in different localities. Such factors as depth, incline, the number of levels, permissible or desirable speeds, conditions of ore, etc., are always more or less special in each case. Veins of ore are never exactly duplicated, and the nature of the ground through which shafts are sunk may considerably modify permissible values. As mining-laws are made by the different States, they necessarily vary somewhat, and, even when not fully observed, they introduce factors which qualify the conditions of hoisting men and ore. The amount of timbering required is often of importance as relating to hoisting-conditions. Methods of loading ore affect the time required, as also does the question of the use of cars or skips. Safety-precautions must be very carefully considered, and the number of men in each mine, the number of compartments, and often the method of removing water from the mine, must. have careful consideration. While a general discussion of the subject. of hoisting is possible, most cases are entirely special, and can be considered only in connection with the peculiar conditions pertaining to that particular installation. The cost of installation of the hoisting-plant may be an appreciable amount, while the cost of raising the ore may be but a small part of the total operating-charge. In many cases, however, the output of the mine is limited by the capacity of the hoist, and the latter thus becomes of the first importance. * Presented also, by mutual agreement, at the meeting of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, New York, N. Y., Mar. 11, 1910.

May 1, 1910

Mitsui Aluminium Co. of Japan announced that it would finance 25 percent of the construction costs for the 217,000 ton-per-year primary aluminum smelter being built by Alumax, Inc. at Holly, SC. Mitsui would receive 25 percent of the plant's production in return. Construction on the smelter began early in 1978, and is scheduled to be completed in 1981. The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) announced plans to restart a third potline at its Point Comfort, TX primary aluminum smelter in July. The company previously announced plans to restart two potlines at the facility in May. Reynolds Metals Co. began preparations to restart primary aluminum production in May in one of two 57,000 ton-per-year potlines at its Corpus Christi, TX smelter. The plant has been closed since 1975.

Jan 1, 1979

By M. Ataee-pour, S. E. Jalali

So far, a large number of algorithms have been developed for the optimization of pit limits, most of which follow deterministic rules. In this paper, a new algorithm is introduced, which follows a probabilistic logic using the Markov chain process. The algorithm is implemented on a transition matrix that corresponds to the 2D conventional economic block model of the mining area. The probability of mining a block is proportional to the desirability it may provide. Applying this algorithm, the probability of mining each block is obtained, and finally, the optimum pit limits are defined as the pit, which provides the highest probability of mining. In order to validate the proposed model, a numerical example is given and the results of the algorithm are compared to those of a dynamic programming algorithm. A 2D analysis of the problem is discussed in this paper. Although dealing with 3D problems requires larger size matrices, the optimization method is the same and the algorithm does not need any smoothing.

Jan 1, 2006

By B. H. Good

This paper describes the research that has been conducted -in an effort to understand the nature and causes of sulphide fires -in the Sullivan Mine. Results of the investigation have led to several theories of the origin: of the fires, the nature of the chemistry and a method for assessing: the fire potential. Recommendations and the implications for the mining operation are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1977

This: symposium was sponsored by the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the lnterior, in order to critically examine the state-of-the-art of sulfide flotation chemistry and to define current and emerging problems that should be emphasized in future fundamental research. The topics covered through invited papers include both reviews and recent research results in the areas of thermodynamics of reagent-mineral interactions; collector adsorption processes; the effects of solid-state point defects on flotation; activation and deactivation phenomena; the electrochemical role of oxygen in sulfide flotation; environmental problems in flotation; and selective flocculation of fines. Papers riving perspectives on flotation research in relationship to our national mineral requirements and the relationships between industrial flotation research and academics are also presented. An edited summary of the symposium follows the papers.

Jan 1, 1980

By D. Harrington

The mining industry of the United States has-long been severely criticized because of its high rate of accident occurrence, net only as compared with other major industries-in the United States but also with the mining industries of other countries particularly Europe. Statistics (often not of strictly comparable nature) indicate that the accident-frequency rate in all mining is currently about three times and the accident-severity rate is about seven times as great as the average for general industrial work in the United States. These figures are by no means comforting to humanitarian mining men, irrespective of their status in. the industry, and they constitute a challenge that certainly cannot continue to be ignored much longer. This picture becomes much darker when the above statistics are augmented with data indicating that. on an exposure basis our mines (more particularly our coal mines) have accident rates two, three, or even more times as great as more or less similar types of mines in Europe, particularly England and Wales, Belgium, France, and Germany. However, these foreign accident statistics should be carefully analyzed before we become very mush concerned about them, because they are clot strictly comparable owing to several considerations, not the least of which is the fact that foreign methods of compiling or recording accident statistics often differ materially from ours. Moreover, foreign mining and other conditions axe definitely dissimilar to ours in many if not most phases, and numerous ether factors affect the comparability of foreign mine-accident statistics with ours. Unquestionably it should also be taken into consideration that the accident rate of the 130,000,000 or more constituting the populace of the United. States as a whole is much higher than that of any other major country in the world and is two, throe, or more times the rate of the European countries that have more favorable mine-accident rates than those of the United States. Moreover, it is significant that the mine-accident-severity- rate of British mines is about six times the average accident-severity rate of the major industries of the British Isles, or but little mere, favorable than the comparable figures in the United States, namely, that mining-has an accident-severity rate about seven times that of the average of about 30 of the major industries of this country.

Jan 1, 1941