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By Byron M. Bird, Earl R. McMillan

"The method and apparatus described herein was developed at the Northwest experiment station of the Bureau of Mines, Interior Department, in cooperative research work with the University of Washington. A fuller description will appear in a bulletin entitled ""study of coal washing problems in the Pacific Northwest, to be published by the University. During the past four years this Bureau and the University have been co-operating with various coal companies in the Pacific Northwest in an extensive study of coal washing problems. Much of the valuable data resulting from this study has been obtained with the well-known float-and-sink test. This test has known for a number of years****, but its possibilities have not been thoroughly understood. A few investigations have developed apparatus and technique suitable to their needs, but these were not adopted to the conditions faced in the Northwest. Thus, the necessity arose for designing suitably equipment and working out a method of procedure or technique in carrying on the fundamental studies of coal washing by means of the float-and-sink test method."

Feb 1, 1924

By Paul M. Tyler

In 1939, American industry got, off to a poor start, slowed down further during the first quarter, quickened after May, speeded up still more when war broke out again in Europe, and ended the year at a pace close to an all-time record. The average index of general business activity for the entire year (105) was well ahead of that for 1938 (86), failed to equal that of 1937 (110), and fell behind the average for 1929 (119) by a wide margin. (Federal Reserve Bank yearly indexes in parentheses).

Jan 1, 1940

By Lorraine B. Burgin

This study by the Bureau of Mines documents the leadtime required for preliminary and detailed exploration, development of the mine, and construction of beneficiation and support facilities for selected copper deposits in Arizona. The time for major exploration ranged from 1 to 15 years, time for open pit development (or construction) was 1 to 4 years, and time for under- ground development was 4 to 8 years; one underground mine presently being developed may require 12 years to achieve production. Construction of the beneficiation plants required 8 months to just over 2 years. The data are supported by historical facts for each deposit during the leadtime stages from location of claims through exploration, construction, expansion, and leaching. The sequence of development and factors contributing to differences in the time spans are discussed. Histories are detailed for the Miami, Castle Dome, Copper Cities, San Manuel-Kalamazoo, and Twin Buttes properties; briefly summarized are the Pinto Valley, Miami East, Esperanza-Sierrita, Pima, and Mineral Park Properties. Each mining operation had its own pattern of development, and together they present a source of planning information for the development of other properties.

Jan 1, 1976

By Arno C. Fieldner

From July 1, 1949, to July 1, 1950, the Bureau of Mines conducted the research and technologic work on coal and coal products that is summarized in this report. The research, described in this fifteenth of a series of resumes, is presented in more detail in publications (see footnote references) that appeared during the fiscal year, though in some cases research data are given that have not been published elsewhere. Results of research in the experimental coal mine, on explosives, and on gas and dust explosions will be found in Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 4228, Annual Report of Research and Technologic Work on Explosives, Explosions, and Flames, Fiscal Year 1950. An over-all view of our coal, oil, end natural-gas reserves was presented, and the future possibilities for the, production of synthetic liquid fuels from coal were delineated.3/

Jan 1, 1951

By D. K. Ingram

In situ horizontal stresses were measured to determine the influences of geologic anomalies on the regional horizontal stress field in two coal mines in southern Illinois. Stress measurements were obtained near a normal fault having a 121-ft displacement at the AMAX Wabash Mine and a large coalbed want at the Kerr-McGee Galatia No.5 Mine. Horizontal stress measurements were completed using a Bureau of Mines borehole deformation gauge. The average maximum and minimum horizontal compressional stresses at the Wabash Mine were 1,400 and 800 psi, with the direction of maximum stress ranging from N 78° W to N 83° E. At the Galatia No.5 Mine, the averages were 1,500 and 500 psi, with the direction of maximum stress ranging from N 85° E to N 75° E. Generally, the geologic anomalies appear to have no dramatic effect of the regional horizontal stresses. However, subtle differences between stress measurements suggest an influence by the fault zone at the Wabash Mine. The larger anisotropic stress conditions at the Galatia No.5 Mine could be responsible for the increase in kink zones and directional roof failures.

Jan 1, 1988

By George A. Morgan

The production and processing of crude petroleum and natural gas are the dominant economic sectors of the Middle East. Downstream processing of these mineral fuels to petrochemicals and fertilizers is a major investment opportunity. In 1991, the 15 countries that constituted the region accounted for 26 % of world crude petroleum output, 15.3 % of world natural gas plant liquid production, and 4.5 % of world dry natural gas production. Only Cyprus and Lebanon were not crude petroleum producers. Production of these mineral fuels all declined from that of 1990 owing to the Persian Gulf War, during which output from Kuwait and Iraq either ceased owing to war damage, or was embargoed. Prior to the war, Iraq and Kuwait were the fourth and fifth largest world producers of crude petroleum, respectively. In the war, virtually all of Kuwait's production and transport facilities were destroyed or damaged. Iraq's output was embargoed from export, with only domestic sales taking place. The embargo also affected Jordan, both in terms of transshipment of materials through it to Iraq and in exports of phosphate and potash. Shipments of crude petroleum by pipeline from Iraq through Saudi Arabia and Turkey and by vessel through the Persian Gulf were terminated. However, the loss in production from Iraq and Kuwait was made up by accelerated output from other Middle East and world producers. Saudi Arabia, in particular, with its excess production capacity, accounted for the largest portion, increasing crude petroleum output by 27 % to almost 3 billion barrels.

Jan 1, 1993

By Sidney Katell

This report covers the period January 1964 through December 1964; it is a continuation of the series that began with the publication of Information Circular 7516 in October 1949. Also, it is the sixth in a series of reports prepared under a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Mines and the American Association of Cost Engineers. The agreement provides for the publication of an annual cost bibliography with the work load involved in the preparation shared equally. The abstracted articles, concerned with all facers of cost engineering in the field of chemical and petroleum. plants and related subjects, are from the following sources: 1. American Association of Cost Engineers Bulletin. 2. Bureau of Mines Information Circulars. 3. Bureau of Mines Reports of Investigations. 4. Chemical Engineering. 5. Chemical Engineering Progress,

Jan 1, 1965

By Mark R. Pettitt

Noise surveys conducted in underground coal mines have consistently indicated that auger mining machines subject the operator and helpers to excessive noise exposure. The machine cutting heads have been identified as the primary noise source. This report documents the research program conducted to (1) investigate the nature of the cutting head noise problem, (2) develop noise control concepts, (3) devise in-mine survivable techniques to implement the noise control concepts, and (4) build and demonstrate prototype reduced-noise auger miner cutting heads. The dynamic forces generated during coal cutting by the brittle fracture of coal are predominently low frequency. The low-frequency (less than 1500 Hz) structural response of the cutting head, therefore, determines the noise radiated by the cutting head. The most feasible methods of reducing the cutting head low-frequency response are to increase both the structural stiffness and the low-frequency damping. A technique was devised to achieve these goals. The standard plate helix was replaced by a sand-filled hollow helix of triangular cross section, and the core diameter was increased with an attendant reduction in helix depth. Extended in-mine tests demonstrated the operational capability of the reduced-noise auger cutting heads. The simple noise control concepts are valid for all continuous miner cutting heads. The sand-filled hollow helix technique, which achieved a 10 dB(A) noise reduction for the auger, can be used on any helix-bearing Cutting head.

Jan 1, 1983

By Robert H. Ridgway

This circular outlines salient facts regarding the sulphur industry of the United States and the world. It is founded chiefly upon published information available in the literature of the subject. The Bureau of Mines has in its files additional, more detailed data upon many of the topics presented very briefly here, and will endeavor to assist the mineral industries and the public by giving further information in response to individual inquiries. It will welcome comments, criticisms, and contributions of data that may assist in making later editions of this circular more accurate, or in developing more fully the bureau's mineral files pertaining to sulphur. Throughout this paper sulphur is used to designate crude sulphur or brimstone, not sulphur produced from pyrites or' smelter gases.

Jan 1, 1930

By L. H. Harrison

In coal mines equipped with electrically driven mechanical mining equipment, the problem of protection for electrical circuits and machinery important, because the hazards of fires and explosions resulting from electrical failures is greater than in most other industries. There is need for better methods and improved protective devices for this service. Studies and tests designed to determine possible value of the short-circuiting contactor as an electrical device for coal mine service were investigated. Preliminary made to determine the operating characteristics of the device, after which tests were made under actual service in three coal mines. Ordinarily, electrical protection in coal mines is divided into three classes, as follows: 1. Overload protection that is intended to protect against damage from overheating and excessive mechanical strain due to overloading. 2. Short-circuit protection that provides a means of de-energizing the equipment instantly when an accidental short circuit occurs in the equipment or on the power system. Short cm protection tends to damage from fires and, explosions resulting in the dissipation of large amounts of electrical energy in a short circuit. 3. Ground fault protection that, in its various forms, is intended, to maintain the frames of electrical equipment at or near the same potential surfaces in contact with the earth for the purpose of safe-guarding human life.

Jan 1, 1951

By H. Reginald Hardy

This report is Volume I of a three volume final report on the micro-seismic monitoring of a longwall coal mine. Volume I deals for the most part with the detailed aspects of the microseismic field study itself, however, brief references are made to other secondary studies described in Volumes II and III. During this field study a mobile microseismic monitoring facility and associated transducers were employed to detect and record microseismic activity above a longwall panel at Greenwich Colleries, Barnesboro, Pennsylvania. The fundamental objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the feasibility of detecting microseismic activity originating from longwall mining operations using an approximately planar, near-surface, geophone array installed above the longwall and (2) to attempt to locate the sources of the various microseismic events. This investigation has proven that, using the techniques developed it is possible to detect microseismic events at depths of more than 400 ft and at horizontal distances in excess of 800 ft from the source. The majority of the observed events were found to have frequencies on the order of 10 to 100 Hz, and particle velocities of 50 to 300 µips. When a suitable velocity model was utilized, most of the events located were computed to be within ±100 ft vertically of the coal seam and ±50 ft horizontally of the longwall face. The results of the overall research project suggest that additional research should be undertaken in a number of associated areas.

Jan 1, 1978

By Sidney Katell

This report covers the period January 1964 through December 1964; it is a continuation of the series that began with the publication of Information Circular 7516 in October 1949. Also, it is the sixth in a series of reports prepared under a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Mines and the American Association of Cost Engineers. The agreement provides for the publication of an annual cost bibliography with the work load involved in the preparation shared equally. The abstracted articles, concerned with all facers of cost engineering in the field of chemical and petroleum. plants and related subjects, are from the following sources:

Jan 1, 1965

By Sean Gallagher

This report describes research by the Bureau of Mines on alternative materials-handling strategies for reducing the costs and incidence of back injuries in low-seam coal mines. Strategies recommended for redesigning materials-handling tasks include elimination of tasks, mechanization of tasks, and matching lifting tasks to the physical capabilities of underground miners. The report also discusses other methods that can be used by management to reduce the costs associated with back injuries.

Jan 1, 1989

By George A. Morgan

The production and processing of crude petroleum and natural gas are the dominant economic sectors of the Middle East. Development of downstream petrochemical and fertilizer industries continues as a major investment area. In 1993, the 15 countries that constituted the region accounted for 29 % of world crude petroleum output, 19 % of world natural gas plant liquid production, and 6 % of world dry natural gas production. Only Cyprus and Lebanon were not crude petroleum producers. Regional output was up for most major mineral commodities. A major exception was phosphate rock, which declined sharply owing to reduced worldwide demand. Total crude petroleum output declined by over 100 Mbbls, again owing to slack demand in the major industrial countries.

Jan 1, 1995

By Harry H. Ku

In December 1975, a report entitled "An Evaluation of the Accuracy of the Coal Mine Dust Sampling Program Administered by the Department of Interior" [1] was prepared by the Analytical Chemistry Division of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), in response to a request by Senator Harrison A. Williams. Chairman, Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. The report attempted to evaluate the adequacy of (1) the personal sampler unit used to measure the coal dust concentration in the mines, (2) the procedures used by the Department of Interior (DOI) to analyze the dust samples obtained from mine operators, and (3) any recent studies made by the Department or private industry concerning the coal dust sampling equipment. Recommendations in the report of NBS included continued research efforts by the appropriate organization to correct the personal sampler deficiencies and to consider the use of area or stationary samplers as a supplement to the personal samplers. Concurrent with the NBS report cited above, the General Accounting Office (GAO) also issued a report in December, 1975 [2], suggesting that improvements are still needed in coal mine dust sampling programs and procedures relating to penalty assessments and collections. Among recommendations made by GAO, the following paragraph specifically called for actions by the agencies involved:

Jan 1, 1979

By A. Brown

This report details work performed and results obtained in a study of the water management aspects of oil shale mining and retorting in the Piceance Creek Basin. Three specific sites were investigated, and optimal water management systems for both conventional and in-situ extraction processes were generated. Water-related legal and environmental constraints on development were identified and the water management schemes were developed in compliance with these regulations. Limitations on shale oil production implied by limited water supplies were evaluated. Potential Basin-wide effects of development were evaluated using a computer model, and mitigation strategies were developed. Recommendations for additional investigation and analyses were presented.

Jan 1, 1977

By Jos. R. Guiteras

This paper is one of a series published by the Bureau of Mines on mining and milling methods and costs. It describes operations in the Alma district of Colorado in September 1937, supplemented by some additional data collected in July 1938. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express his appreciation of the friendly cooperation extended him by the mine operators in the district. The greater part of the information was obtained from mine and mill superintendents to whom individual acknowledgment is made in the text.

Jan 1, 1940

By J. R. Thoenen, J. L. Vallely, M. C. Malamphy

"SUMMARYMagnetic and gravimetric surveys wore conducted over an area of ap¬proximately 1,400 square miles in the bauxite district of central Arkansas. The primary purpose of these surveys was to discover any possible buried and hitherto unknown syenite masses favorable for the occurrence of bauxite and to determine the approximate position of the buried flanks of the known syenite masses which might offer conditions favorable for the discovery of new ore bodies.Those surveys indicated that the various syenite outcrops were domes or bosses on a large batholith and that ether similar domes occurred on the batholith but did net outcrop.Drilling on the local geophysical anomalies proved the presence of 10 buried domes, but only 2 of them were found to project above the upper surface of the Midway clays, a requisite of conditions favorable for the occurrence of bauxite ore bodies. The geophysical data indicated the approximate configuration of the buried flanks of the known syenite coutcrops, and the portions of these flanks that project above the Midway have now been outlined more accurately by drilling.The geophysical surveys have produced evidence permitting the elimi¬nation of a large area as unfavorable for the occurrence of bauxite.Magnetic surveys extending along the Midway-Wilcox contact from Gurdon, in Clark County, on the southwest to Searcy, in White County, on the northwest have proved the improbability of the existence of other syenite masses similar to those found in Pulaski and Saline Counties. A detailed magnetic survey of the Magnet Cove area in Hot Spring County has proved that the syenite mass exposed in that locality is an isolated intrusion and entirely unrelated to those of Pulaski and Saline Counties. This syenite mass does not occur under conditions believed to be favorable for the occurrence of bauxite."

Feb 1, 1945

By E. Chin

The countries of Asia and the Pacific, with their large mineral resource base, are significant suppliers of a wide variety of minerals to both regional and world markets. Australia, China, and India dominate the commercial mineral exploitation in the region. Australia has known reserves of major minerals, which are adequate for both domestic demand, and for exports, and is a significant producer of bauxite; copper; diamond; gold; iron ore; lead; manganese; mineral sands (titaniferrous minerals, monazite, and zircon); nickel; salt; silver; tin; uranium; and zinc. China is the world leader in proven reserves of antimony, barite, ilmenite (titanium), magnesite (magnesium), molybdenum, rare earths, and tungsten. China also has large resources of low-grade iron ore and significant resources of other mineral commodities, such as coal, based on its production and export capabilities. India has significant resources of bauxite, barite, graphite, iron ore, and mineral sands.

Jan 1, 1995

By Ernest E. Berger

"INTRODUCTIONOne of the outstanding problems in the normetallic industries, and one which involves two of the greatest of these industries, cement and gypsum, is the reaction of Portland cement with calcium sulphate. To all Portland cement clinker there is added in the manufacturing process, a small amount of retarder, as a necessary ingredient of the finished product. This retards the initial set, increases the strength, and adds to the plasticity of the cement so it will have the desired working and setting qualities. The retarder commonly used is gypsum, (CaSOA.2HO), which is the hydrous form calcium sulphate. Calcium sulphate is also available as plaster of Paris (CaSO4 1/2 HC) and anhydrite (CaSO4). The purpose of this inquiry was to determine the form or mixture of forms best adapted for retarder. The problem is complicated by the fact that cement clinker is a complex mixture of calcium silicates and aluminates, and that clinker from different mills, making cement of approximately equal quality, differs considerably in chemical constitution. Thus the same retarder may give very different results with different types of clinker, especially in the percentage of retarder required for the same degree of retardation.It has been known for some time that a small percentage of plaster of Paris will greatly retard the time of set of Portland cement as well as increase its strength and plasticity, but whether gypsum and anhydrite will have a similar effect is as such disputed question. The offects of gypsum have received little consideration in laboratory research because, even though it will not retard a clinker when the two are mixed in the laboratory, as has been noted in some instances, the cement will have a normal set when the two arc mixed in the large tube mill at the plant, so that practically, gypsum seems to be equally as goou as plaster of Paris, and because of the great saving in cost it has been used almost exclusively."

Sep 1, 1925