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By E. C. Lane

[This is the eleventh in a series of reports on properties of commercial motor fuels made in accordance with a cooperative agreement between the Cooperative Fuel Research (C.F.R.) Committee and the Bureau of Mines of the United States Department of the Interior. The first report contained data, on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1935-36.3/ The present report presents analytical data for 2,020 samples, representing the products of approximately 120 companies, which, as in previous surveys, include both large and small suppliers. In addition, the Pacific coast is represented by data averaged by the Pacific Coast Technical Group before being submitted and are published exactly as they were received. As in previous surveys, the data are divided into the three groups of samples of regular-price, premium-price, and third-grade gasolines, and each group has been averaged separately. The number of samples, items, and brands comprising each group, exclusive of the of the Pacific coast, axe as follows: Regular price, 1,071 samples, 29 items, and 77 brands premium Price, 608 samples, 235 items, and 72 brands; third-grade gasoline, 341 samples, 196 items, and 78 brands. The meanings of these terms as used in tae surveys are as follows: Sample: The individual sup of gasoline o1 obtained at the filling station and analyzed in the laboratory.]

Jan 1, 1941

By E. C. Lane

[This is the eleventh in a series of reports on properties of commercial motor fuels made in accordance with a cooperative agreement between the Cooperative Fuel Research (C.F.R) Committee and the Bureau of Mines of the United States Department of the Interior. The first report contained data, on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1935-36.3/ The present report presents analytical data for 2,020 samples, reprecenting the products of approximately 120 companies, which, as in previous surveys, include both large and small suppliers. In addition, the Pacific coast is represented by data averaged the Pacific Coast Technical Group before being submitted and' are published exactly as they were received. As in previous surveys, the data are divided into the three groups of samples of regular-price, premium-price, and third-grade gasoline each group has been averaged separately. The number of samples, items, and old brands comprising each group, exclusive of the of the Pacific coast, axe as follows: Regular price, 1,071 samples, 29 items, and 77 brands; premium price, 608 samples, 235 items, and 72 brands; third-grade gasoline, 341 samples, 196 items, 78 brands. The meanings of these terms as used in tae surveys are as follows:]

Jan 1, 1941

By Anthony D. Szpak

The purpose of this program was to demonstrate the feasibility of Illuminating various types of underground coal mining machinery as required by the Federal Coal Mine Illumination Standards Part 75.1719 to 75.1719-4 Code of Federal Regulations Title 30. Nine various machines were illuminated and the illumination systems were evaluated for a 3 month period of operation. Factors evaluated were ease of implementation, reliability, ease of maintenance, acceptance by mine workers and operators, Illumination degradation and durability.

Jan 1, 1981

By Martin J. Gavin

"Before discussing oil shales it may be well to consider briefly the conditions surrounding the petroleum industry in the United States, because these largely explain why so much interest is being manifested in oil shales. The United States is not only the greatest producer of petroleum in the world, its output amounting to about 65 per cent of the world's total production; but is also the world's greatest consumer, using more petroleum than it produces within its own borders. For the past four or five years it has been necessary to import oil at a continually increasing rate to make up the deficit between domestic production and domestic consumption. Experts who have made a close study of the future supply and demand for, crude petroleum are satisfied that under present production practice and with the development of possible undeveloped productive areas, the gap between domestic consumption and production will steadily .increase.As possible solutions for the impending domestic shortage of oil, various expedients are receiving attention. These may be grouped under three heads, as follows:(1) Temporary measures, such as curtailment of consumption, development of more efficient methods of production, and more efficient utilization of supplies of petroleum still available. It is unlikely that there will be any great curtailment in consumption of petroleum in the United States; rather, consumption will continue to increase unless a real shortage of oil actually forces curtailment of consumption. The other two possibilities mentioned deserve, and are resolving, serious thought. Much experimental work along these lines, some of which has already yielded excellent results, is being done. Obviously, however, any of these remedies are temporary ones only, so far as regards domestic production of petroleum."

Oct 1, 1920

The coal-bearing areas of Kansas cover approximately 18,800 square miles (23 percent of the state's total area). Coal in Kansas ranges from lignite to high volatile bituminous, located principally in the south-eastern part of the state. Kansas reserves are estimated to be 987,500,000 tons, approximately 0.2 percent of U.S. reserves. Coal beds generally occur in thin seams up to five feet thick. The overburden-to-coal stripping ratios in Kansas are among the highest in the nation, typically 20 to 1, with some ratios up to 35 to 1. The first commercial coal mining operation in Kansas opened in 1865 at Fort Scott in Bourbon County. As in other states, coal production in Kansas increased during the industrial revolution, and then fell as industry converted to alternative fuels. Production peaked in 1916 and 1917, with annual production of 7,250,000 tons. Coal production today is by surface mining methods. The Kansas regulatory program was approved April 14, 1982; the Abandoned Mine Land Program was approved February 1, 1982; and the emergency program authority was approved January 10,1989.

Jan 1, 1992

By John R. Troxell

"INTRODUCTION The Ahles iron mine, also known as the Pequest mine, in Warren County, N. J., was operated continuously for 15 years and was still in ore when it closed in 1916.Tie property was examined by an engineer of the Bureau of Mines in March 1943. 3/ This examination led to an investigation of the deposits by the Bureau by diamond drilling two holes under the old workings to determine whether the extends downward.This report describes the work done at the Ahles mine by the Bureau and presents the data obtained.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSIn its program of investigation of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Mines has as its primary objective the more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the end that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. The Mining Division, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts preliminary examinations, performs the actual investigative work, and prepares the final report.The Metallurgical Division, O. C. Ralston, chief, analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests.The investigation was under the general supervision of J. B. Zadra, acting regional engineer, and under the immediate supervision of G. D. Jermain, district engineer for the States of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware. The author was in direct charge of the project.The chemical analyses for the project were performed at the College, Park, Md., laboratories of the Bureau of Mines under the direction of M. S. Sheftel. The ore-dressing tests were conducted at College Park under the direction of Frank Lamb. Preston E. Hotz, of the Federal Geological Survey, logged and interpreted the drill cores."

Apr 1, 1948

By Joan Weinberg

Real gross national produce (GNP) grew at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.0% in the fourth quarter (table 1). The restrained quarterly growth rate was the slowest in 2 years, and was substantially slower than the 2.5 % rate of the previous quarter. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the summer drought reduced the fourth-quarter growth rate by 1.1 percentage points. A growing trade deficit and a reduction in business investment were the key economic factors curtailing growth. The trade deficit widened by $6.8 billion, reflecting both a surge of imports and a slowing of exports. Business investment declined 3.7%, mainly as a result of a slowdown in computer sales. On a year-to-year basis, the economy grew at an inflation-adjusted rate of 3.8% for 1988, the fastest in 4 years, despite the drought. However, on a fourth-quarter-to-fourth-quarter basis, real growth measured 2.7%. Increased exports and business spending for plant and equipment accounted for much of the 1988 GNP growth. Employment continued to grow as the manufacturing sector added 414,000 new workers (table 2). Of these, the primary metals industry added 26,000 workers, and the clay, glass, and stone industry added 10,000. The civilian unemployment rate remained low throughout 1988, fluctuating between 5.3% and 5.4% during the last quarter.

Jan 1, 1989

By William L. Crentz

Floyd County, KY., contains sizable deposits of high volatile bituminous coal. Some of the coals have been blended with higher-rank coals and used in the manufacture of high-quality metallurgical coke. The Upper Elkhorn No. 3, Upper Elkhorn No. 2, and Upper Elkhorn No. 1 beds produce the bulk of the present output in the county and contain the main known reserves of coal. Little information is available concerning the quality and extent of the deposits underlying the Upper Elkhorn No. 1 bed, although small operations in the past have worked a bed that is reported to be; the Lower Elkhorn. Undoubtedly, these lower beds occur in Floyd County, but depth Will preclude their development into a major source of fuel as long as large deposits of more-accessible coal are available. More is known of the occurrence of the beds above the Upper Elkhorn No. 3 owing to sporadic mining ventures in the upper measures. Many of the coal samples from beds above the Upper Elkhown No. 3. were collected in mines that had been abandoned. Almost all of the present production of Floyd County coal is taken from the Upper Elkhorn beds, and it is unlikely that their dominant position as coal producers will be challenged in the near future. Table 1 shows the coal production of the county by beds, during 1950.

Jan 1, 1952

By R. M. Santmyers

The pigments, whose colors are due primarily to iron exides and iron hydroxides, comprise a variety of yellow, brown, red, and sometimes black paint-coloring agents, both natural and artificially prepared. The natural pigments in this group include ocher, umber, sienna, mineral paints, paint rock, and mortar colors. When the natural color or tinting power--either in the raw state or after treatment--is too weak, these pigments may be "forti- fied" or strengthened. Ocher, umber, and sienna, rhile often described as "iron oxide pigments," are also known as "earthy" rigments. Inasmuch as the iron content of these pigments is, in general, somewhat lower than that of other iron oxide pigments, the ochers, umbers, siennes, and other brown earth pigments are not discussed in the present paper. In addition to a discussion of natural or artificial pigments whose color is due to the presence of iron oxide in some form, this paper contains data on mortar colors, which are medium or low grade pigments used for tinting mortar, cement, and concrete. A great variety of materials are used for theso purposes, including "blue billy" (residue left from roast- ing pyrite), ground slate and shale, and even culm from coal washeries. Dur- ing the past three years, there has been a definite trend among the producers of iron oxide pigments to push the sales of the better grades of colors for tinting mortars. Due to the amount of low-grade coloring matter that is re- quired to impart a strong color to concrete (in soro cases as high as 15 per cent of pigment is necessary) the strength of the cement may be materially impaired. The addition of some 2 per cent of the higher grades of iron oxide to the concrete mix imparts a brighter and stronger colcr, does not weaken the material, and in the end is not as expensive as the low-grade pigments formerly used. Iron oxide pigments occur in nature in various shades and colors, but the red pigments are the most important and account for the larger part of the total red pigments used.3/ The nomenclature of these red pigments is involved and the names given to them are descriptive of the shade rather than of origin, method of produc- tion or chemical composition. In most cases the red pigments under this class may occur naturally or may be produced by heating hydrous iron oxide pigments such as yellow ocher to a sufficiently high temperature to drive off the water of composition. They may also be prepared by fortifying naturally-occurring pigments with stronger natural or synthetic oxides or with coal-tar dyes (e.g. alizarine lake), Most of the mineral reds derive their color from the presence of ferric oxide (Fe2O3), the mineral hematite. This may be present in relatively small percentages, as in the red slates and shales, or it may constitute as much as 90 per cent or more of the material, as in Spanish red. The principal iron oxide pigments used in the manufacture of paint are discussed in the following pages.

May 1, 1932

By Wesley G. Holtz

A project to demonstrate the feasibility of retorting oil shale by the Paraho vertical retort process was carried out at Anvil Points, Colorado during 1974 to 1976. As a part of the demonstration project, laboratory and field tests were performed to determine the physical and chemical properties of the retorted shale for use in the development of eventual full-scale disposal plans. The material which exits from the Paraho retort is classified as a non-plastic silty gravel by the Unified Soil Classification System. The particles have an apparent specific gravity averaging near 2.60 and a mass specific gravity averaging near 2.00. The material can be compacted by normal laboratory and field construction methods to about 90 to 100 pounds per cubic foot dry density depending upon the degree of compactive effort applied. The addition of moisture does not improve compactibility appreciably. When high compactive effort is applied the retorted shale is classed as impervious to water flow. The compacted retorted shale exhibits shear strengths in the same order as those observed for silty gravel soils. If the compacted material is cured (long tune simulation testing) prior to strength testing considerable strength gain can be obtained from cementing action. The amount of cementing developed is dependent upon heat treatment and other operating modes of the retort.

Jan 1, 1976

By Fred Leonard

This report is principally concerned with the engineering and economic feasibility of area surface coal mining systems other than draglines. This analysis evaluates shovel/ trucks, shovel/crusher/conveyors, and shovel/rail excavation and haulage systems for an assortment of geologic environments and production rates in the Powder River Basin (PRB) Shovel/trucks, front-end loaders/ trucks, and shovel/crusher/conveyors were studied in a multi-seam, dipping geologic area of the Four Corners Region. The Texas lignite engineering and economic research involved bucket-wheel excavators (BWE), BWE/backhoes, and scraper/backhoe combinations for overburden and coal excavation. The PRE truck/shovel study utilized the most recent computer simulation available in both the design and cost analyses. Detailed engineering analysis, followed by in-depth operating costs (operating and depreciation) result in a complete evaluation of each mining system. Cost comparisons of the different mining systems under similar geologic and production constraints are presented in the report to illustrate the estimated capital investment and production costs per ton of coal and bank cubic yard of overburden.

Jan 1, 1980

The production and processing of crude petroleum and natural gas are the dominant economic sectors of the Middle East, providing more than 80 % of the region's foreign exchange. In 1992, the 15 countries that constituted the region accounted for 29.5 % of world crude petroleum output, 20 % of world natural gas plant liquid production, and 5 % of world dry natural gas production. Only Cyprus and Lebanon were not crude petroleum producers. A fairly wide range of non fuel minerals is also produced in the region. The most significant are boron minerals, bromine, chromite, gypsum, phosphate rock, potash, strontium, and sulfur. However, the variety of minerals produced, output levels, and the size of the overall non fuel mineral economy of the region is dominated by Iran and Turkey. Turkey, with a diverse mineral production and strategically situated between Europe and the Middle East, was first in world production of run-of-mine boron minerals, second in strontium behind Mexico, and fourth in pumice. It was also a significant world producer of chromite, magnesi'lm compounds, mercury, and sodium sulfate. Turkey was also the Middle East's largest cement and steel producer. Iran continued to expand output of most mineral commodities following the war with Iraq from 1980 to 1988. It was a significant world producer of gypsum and strontium and on its way to becoming a major iron and steel producer in the region. Despite a very small domestic mineral industry, Israel was second in world production of bromine and a significant producer of phosphate rock and potash. In terms of processed minerals, Israel was a major world diamond cutting center and exporter of cut diamond. Jordan ranked sixth in world production of phosphate rock. Saudi Arabia was eighth in world production of sulfur.

Jan 1, 1994

By Jon A. Hummer, Emanuele Cauda, George H. Schnakenberg, Aleksandar D. Bugarski, Samuel J. Janisko, Larry D. Patts

A series of engine/dynamometer tests was conducted to assess the effects of three types of uncatalyzed diesel particulate filters (DPFs), a diesel oxidation catalytic converter (DOC) and three types of high temperature disposable filter elements (HT DFEs) on the concentrations and size distribution of diesel aerosols and concentration of nitric oxides in underground mine air. Tests were conducted in the NIOSH Diesel Laboratory at the Lake Lynn Laboratory experimental mine, a facility developed to allow evaluation of these and other control technologies directly in an underground environment. The aforementioned technologies are evaluated by comparing the aerosol and gas measurements in the mine air 60 m downstream of the exhaust from a naturally aspirated, mechanically controlled engine fitted with the tested systems or muffler and operated at four steady-state engine speed and power modes. The tested DPF and HT DFE systems caused a 10-fold reduction in total mass concentrations of aerosols. The size distribution and number concentration measurements showed that all tested DPF systems and HT DFE elements effectively removed accumulation mode aerosols (D50>30 nm) for all test modes. An increase in peak number concentrations of nucleation mode (D50>30 nm) diesel aerosols is evident for some of tested DPF systems when engine was operated at high-load modes. The effects of uncatalyzed DPFs on nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations are found to be minor. A four-fold increase in percentages of NO2 in total nitrogen oxides (NOx) over baseline case was observed for the DOC when the engine was operated at high-load modes. The findings from this study should contribute to better understanding the potential for various control technologies to reduce exposure of underground miners to nano and ultrafine aerosols. In addition, detailed physical characterization of diesel aerosols made directly in occupational setting should foster a better understanding of the health risks associated with exposure to nano and ultrafine diesel aerosols.

To provide an engineering solution to wood crib design and deployment strategies that will ensure safety for underground coal mine workers. This is accomplished by preserving necessary ground control requirements while minimizing support costs or by developing new support strategies to enhance ground support in difficult conditions. A secondary objective is to be able to quantify wood crib support performance to define support requirements for alternative support systems. These objectives have been achieved through a simple-to-use computer program called the wood crib performance model (wcpm).

Jan 1, 1997

By O. C. Blade

The oil fields of Arkansas, all situated in the southern part of the State, have played an important part in the development of petroleum production in the northern coastal plain region of the Mid-Continent area. From the first discovery of oil in southwest Ouachita County in 1920 to December 31, 1930, a total of 480,167,5604/ barrels of crude petroleum has been produced from' this region. Development of the Arkansas fields proceeded rapidly after 1920. The El Dorado field was discovered in Union County in 1921. Drilling in Ouachita County resulted in the discovery of the Smackover field in 1922 and subsequently in the development of the whole southern area. To November 31, 1939,459 / producing wells had been drilled in 25 fields, aggregating 53,7356 acres of proved territory in 6 counties. Peak annual production for the State was reached in 1925, when 80,823,7007/ barrels was produced, resulting largely from flush production from the Smakover field, which rose td an average of 444,9507 barrel daily during that year. During 1924, 1925, and 1926 Arkansas ranked fourth among the oil-producing

Jan 1, 1940

By Joan K. Kuenzi

This Information Circular brings together for consideration recommendations from U.S. Bureau of Mines research in the area of surface mine mobile equipment maintenance for the period 1982 through 1991. It updates the 1982 contract report by Baker and Alves that formed the basis for much of the work described in the present report. Recommendations for hazard abatement during work on mobile one equipment are presented and stem from the results and recommendations of the research in two areas: (1) equipment and workplace hazard reduction, and (2) management of maintenance information. Recommendations included in this report apply to both the operators and maintainers of mobile mining equipment as well as to the manufacturers of that equipment.

Jan 1, 1995

By Thomas M. Barczak, Dennis R. Dolinar, Gabriel S. Esterhuizen

Longwall mines typically use some form of standing support for secondary roof support in longwall tailgate entries. Although there have been several new support products developed for this application, there remains no universal design criteria to optimize the application of these support technologies. The requirement for optimization and proper support selection is to understand the degree of control that the support has on the ground behavior. The ground reaction curve and numerical modeling was used to evaluate the impact of standing support on ground behavior. LaModel was used to evaluate the impact of standing support on main roof and floor behavior and pillar yielding. The conclusion drawn from this study was that standing supports do not have sufficient capacity to control main roof or floor loading or prevent the resulting convergence of the tailgate entry. However, it is imperative that this “uncontrollable convergence” be considered in the support design to prevent premature failure of the support. A FLAC model was used to evaluate the near-seam roof and floor behavior in conjunction with the global vertical and horizontal stresses. The model suggests that standing roof supports can have some impact on the ground behavior as the elastic response of the rock is exceeded and rock structure deteriorates from the stress concentrations that develop around the tailgate opening. During this phase, the capacity and stiffness of the standing support can be critical to the stability of the opening, as eventually the rock mass will be transformed into a partially detached structure whose weight must be supported by the standing support. This work is part of a ground control program of research at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) aimed at improving mine safety by reducing roof fall injuries and fatalities.

By Keith D. Rosbury

The basic objective of this project was to determine the cost-effectiveness of dust control used on unpaved mine haul roads. Field testing was conducted at three surface coal mines (two in Wyoming, one in southern Illinois) for a total of 20 weeks. The highest control efficiency measured for a chemical dust suppressant, 82 percent, was for calcium chloride two weeks after application. Generally, however, the control efficiencies hovered in the 40 to 60 per-cent range over the first two weeks since application, and then decreased with time. After the fifth week, the limited number of data points suggest a control efficiency of less than 20 percent. Composite watering data were fairly uniform. Watering once per hour resulted in a TSP control efficiency of approximately 40 percent. Doubling that application rate increased the control effectiveness by about 15 percent to 55 percent. Chemical dust suppressants (primarily salts and lignons) can be shown to be more cost-effective than watering under some conditions. Delta summaries and the analysis of data are contained in Volume I. Volume II contains basic data.

Jan 1, 1983

By F. W. Smith

To determine whether preheating coals before carbonization would improve the coking properties of the coals, particularly the weaker coking coals, 3 coals, 1 each from Illinois, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, and a blend of the Illinois with a Pocahontas coal were preheated before testing for coking properties in the Bureau's BM-AGA pilot oven. The effects of preheating on the chemical and physical proper-ties of the coals and on the yields of carbonization products and strength of the coke produced from the preheated coals were determined, as were also the effects of bulk density, gaseous atmosphere, and residence time during preheating. Most benefit from preheating was found with weaker or oxidized coking coals, whereas the more strongly coking coals and blends showed little effect. Direct charging of preheated coal to the coke oven without cooling gave better coke, increased yield of tar, and decreased yield of gas. INTRODUCTION Although 94 percent of today's coal production comes from fields east of the Mississippi, the Eastern States have only about one-third of the Nation's recoverable reserves. West Virginia, which now produces more than any other State, has much smaller reserves than Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming.5/ However, the manufacture of iron and steel in Western States, which has increased greatly since World War I, is handicapped by the scarcity of high-grade coking coals, such as are plentiful in the Appalachian region. Unless a practical method of improving the cokemaking property of local coals is developed, ferrous metallurgical industries in the West must continue to use inferior coking coals and to pay high shipping charges for better coals.

Jan 1, 1958

By V. T. Dow

In April 1957 the Bureau of Mines instituted a reconnaissance of titanium-and zirconium-bearing heavy sandstone deposits in the Four-State area of Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. This report summarizes the study. Eighty-two deposits or groups of deposits, containing an estimated 27,920,000 tons of titaniferous sandstone, were examined in the Four-State area; 16 in southern Utah, 19 in Wyoming, 33 in New Mexico, and 14 in southwestern Colorado. The 16 deposits examined in Utah contain an estimated 1,043,000 tons with an average grade of 17.98 percent TiO2, 5.67 percent ZrO2, 20.98 percent Fe, and 0.09 percent equivalent Th02. The 19 deposits investigated in Wyoming are estimated to contain 21,873,000 tons of titaniferous sandstone having a weighted grade of 5.22 percent 702, 0.55 percent ZrO2, 24.8 percent Fe, and 0.01 percent equivalent Th02.

Jan 1, 1961