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By A. J. Kraemer

This report on research and experimentation by the Federal Bureau of Mines on technologic and scientific problems of the petroleum and natural gas industries presents a resume of work from July 1, 1953, to June 30, 1956. The preceding report, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1953,3/ indicated continuation of the Bureau's program of petroleum and natural gas research of world-wide significance, which began in 1910. The petroleum and natural gas research of the Bureau of Mines is divided into five main categories: (1) Production of petroleum and natural gas, (2) transportation and storage, (3) petroleum chemistry and refining, (4) thermodynamics, and (5) economics.

Jan 1, 1959

By J. L. Eakin

A method was developed by the Bureau of Mines in the laboratory and in the field to relieve capillary waterblocks in gas wells. Impaired gas permeability was improved by this inexpensive chemical treatment which lowers the surface tension of the water held in the capillaries of the formation. Effectiveness of the alcohol-surfactant treatment was tested with a variety of chemicals and with sandstone cores cut from rocks having relatively low permeability. Field tests on 20 gas-producing and storage wells demonstrated the effectiveness and limitations of the method. The productive capacity of some wells was doubled by the treatment. The final test was evaluated by the neutron logging technique for measuring changes in apparent liquid saturation. Maximum apparent liquid saturation was reduced by 52 percent; gas production rate increased from 2.3 to 3.5 MMcfd (million cubic feet per day).

Jan 1, 1965

By B. D. Nash

The Bureau of Mines continued its research into the recovery of fluorine by the phosphoric acid acidulation defluorination of phosphate rock concentrates. A small process development unit with a capacity of about 10 kilo-grams of charge per hour was operated, and concentrates from both Idaho and Florida were processed. Over 80 percent of the fluorine was evolved and recovered as a dilute fluosilicic acid solution. Phosphate extraction from the concentrates always exceeded 98 percent. The fluorine was converted to a synthetic fluorspar product (3CaFa?SiOa) suitable for use as a slag conditioner in electric furnace steelmaking operations.

Jan 1, 1977

By T. E. Gray

This report describes the preparation characteristics of the more significant coalbeds in Monongalia County, W. Va. It is one of a Bureau of Mines series planned to determine coals suitable for producing metallurgical coke, either as mined or after beneficiation. Over 9.5 million tons of coal was produced in Monongalia County in 1957, of which more than 7 million tons was cleaned mechanically in 8 cleaning plants. On January I, 1954 the Bureau of Mines estimated that 1,576 million tons of recoverable coal remained in the county in beds 28 inches or more thick.

Jan 1, 1960

By Joseph J. Wallace

1. From the standpoint of present production and recoverable reserves, there are two beds of major importance in Allegheny County -Pittsburgh and Upper Freeport -and one of lesser importance -Redstone. 2. Known measured and indicated reserves in all beds, based on a minimum thickness of 14 inches and 1,800 short tons per acre-foot of coal in place, are estimated at 832 million short tons as of January 1, 1953. Of this total, 768 million short tons is in beds 28 inches and more thick. Areas in some beds were omitted from the estimate because available data relative to the bed characteristics are too meager for making an estimate that conforms with the definitions of measured and indicated coal adopted for this study. Should future drilling or development prove reserves in these areas, such reserves should be added to the total estimated reserves.

Jan 1, 1953

By Ronald Althouse

During the past five years under contract with the U. S. Bureau of Mines (BOM Contract J0308002). West Virginia University's Mining Extension Service (WVU-MES) has designed, developed) and delivered to the mining industry a comprehensive training program for Mine Rescue (MR) teams and a management planning tool for Mine Emergency Preparedness. The Mine Rescue team program is systematically built on a set of training objectives, backed up by content, allowing mine operators to conduct team training activities. These materials are user-ready, provide the MR principles and practices for both initial and advanced training, and supply teams with exercises geared to problem-solving activities. In addition to an instructor's program guide, the eight (8) modules that comprise the initial (20 hour) MR training are: an Introduction to Mine Rescue, an Introduction to Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), a set of modules covering each approved minimum 2-hour SCBA (i.e.) the Draeger BO 174-A. the McCaa) the Aerolox. & the Scott Rescue-Pak), and a manual on Auxiliary Apparatus as well as the Chemox Auxiliary SCBA. Advanced, annual refresher training (40 hour) is covered by seven (7) modules that spell-out the principles and practices needed to establish surface organization, to handle mine gases as well as mine ventilation, to conduct exploration, for fires, firefighting, and explosions, to rescue survivors and recover bodies, and to accomplish a mine recovery. Approved by MSHA in 1984 to meet requirements for 30 CFO. Part 49, these materials provide a basis for trainers' instruction, for comparison of team capabilities, for modifying programs resources, and services, and for program planning. The Mine Emergency Preparedness Program (MEPP) is used by management as a tool in the preparation of company personnel for handling a mine emergency operation. As a wholly new program. MEPP depends upon development of a Mine Emergency Organization and Emergency Operations Procedures. It also requires regular scheduling of drills) periodic mock emergencies, and evaluation of organizational responses and program performance beyond required training of mine rescue teams. MEPP materials are arranged into three sets of guides: 1) the Preparedness Program System Guides include an Executive Summary, a Program Director's Guide Mine Emergency Organization, and Emergency Operations Procedures; 2) the Emergency Organization (MEO) User's Guides cover the Rescue and Advisory Division, the Technical/Safeguarding Division, and the Surface Support Division; and 3) the Emergency Procedures (EOPS) User's Guides detail Containment Level Procedures, Notification Level Procedures. Mobilization Level Procedures, and Deployment Level Procedures.

Jan 1, 1986

By C. Melvin Lepper

Microseismic energy is generated when stresses accumulated in rock formations are released in the form of fracturing. The acoustic emissions resulting from these rock fractures and movements are detectable as velocity signals in the earth near the energy source. A Bureau of Mines microseismic system that is capable of detecting the acoustic emissions from pit slope movements is described. The digital circuitry incorporated in the system allows a microprocessor program to immediately calculate and present the location coordinates for the seismic energy source in the mine pit wall. This monitoring system is compact, portable, reliable, and relatively inexpensive and rapidly provides accurate information to the mine operators about the stability of a pit slope.

Jan 1, 1982

By James D. Brown

The Bureau of Mines has written a computer program in FORTRAN to facilitate the calculation of concentrations from X-ray intensities in electron probe microanalysis. Philibert's absorption and Castaing's secondary fluorescence corrections are used; no atomic number correction is included. Background and dead time corrections are applied to the data before calculating the relative intensities. Data from any type of electron probe microanalyzer can be used with the program.

Jan 1, 1965

By J. R. Thoenen

During the past 6 years the Mining Division of the U.S. Bureau of Mines has prepared many information circulars containing valuable technical data covering the operating details of mining and ore-dressing plants throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other countries. These papers, written for the most part by operating officials in the field, have been designed to comprise a reference library for the operating engineer. In order to make the information contained in these publications more readily available to the busy engineer the enclosed series of reference tables has been compiled. The tabular arrangement is by subject rather than alphabetical order, thus avoiding the bulk of an alphabetical index.

Jan 1, 1935

By W. H. Young

THE DOMEST[C bituminous coal and lignite industry remained fairly steady in 1959 compared with 1958. Although mechanization continued to expand and production increased slightly, consumption, average value, exports, and employment decreased. The percentage of underground production mechanically loaded, the percentage of total production mined by stripping, and tonnage per man per day were at their highest levels. Production.-The output of bituminous coal and lignite in 1959-412 million tons-was 0.4 percent greater than the 410.4 million tons produced in 1958. Production was retarded in 1959, largely owing to the steel strike and reduced exports.

Jan 1, 1960

By David E. Kaslow

In sampling dust laden air by drawing the medium into an inlet, some larger particles fail to follow the air and a true sample is not obtained. Inertia prevents particles from accelerating with the air as well as from turning sharp bends; also the particles' weight causes them to fall relative to the air. An analytic solution to the sampling efficiency calculation by Levin gives particle paths and sampling efficiencies for various particle sizes when the inlet can be treated as a point sink. However, the flow field in the neighborhood of an aspirating tube is quite different from a point sink flow. Employing Levin's solution in the outer field, trajectories in actual flow fields have been calculated by computer to locate the critical trajectories separating the entering particles I paths from those paths where the particles hit the tube wall or escape. Sampling efficiencies are presented in terms of 3 variables--a dimensionless particle size coefficient, a dimensionless orifice size coefficient and the tube orientation--for the no-wind case. Over most of the range of sampling conditions, the Stokes drag law can be used and dependence on the variable--particle Reynolds number--can be ignored. A procedure for achieving maximum efficiency in design of a sampler is proposed. Whether these results apply when typical room-sized eddies constitute the ?calm air? environment is not known.

Jan 1, 1974

By Oliver Bowles

The National Granite Commission at its annual meeting in Norfolk, Va., in January, 1930, passed a resolution requesting the Bureau of Mines to conduct an economic study of the granite industry. In with this request a preliminary review has been made of trends in the production and uses of block granite.. Some unfavorable conditions were thus brought to light, and certain suggestions regarding a more orderly and consistent growth in the industry are herein discussed. The results of the study are, presented in this report for the earnest consideration of. the industry, and comments are invited, not only on this report but as to future work that might be accomplished by the Bureau of Mines. The authors desire to acknowledge many helpful suggestions and comments from Paul M. Tyler of the Bureau of Mines and from Harris F. Sherman, secretary of the National Building Granite Quarries Association. Miss A. T. Coons of the Bureau of Mines rendered valuable assistance through her wide knowledge of granite statistics. The block granite industry has shown little expansion during recent years. While the value of the annual production has grown from about $14,000,000 in 1904 to nearly $25,000,000 in 1928, the increment in value is caused mainly by mounting prices rather than by increased production. Even granite for memorials shows a very small advance in production volume, although the value has increased from about $3,500,060 in 1904 to more than $11,000,000 in 1928, which is the most consistent growth of any branch of the industry. The value of building granite has fallen for a number of years much below the figure for 1904, and in 1928 was very little in advance of the value attained 24 years previously. The use of granite paving blocks and rubble has shown a gradual decline.

Jan 1, 1931

By H. E. Perlee

Autoignition temperatures and limits of flammability of nine halogenated hydrocarbons in atmospheres of air, oxygen, and nitrogen tetroxide were measured in a modified standard autoignition apparatus and limit-of-flammability apparatus previously developed at the Bureau of Nines. Of the nine halogenated hydrocarbons investigates--bromochloromethane, bromotrifluoromethane, bromochlorodifluoromethane, 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane, 1-bromo-l-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane, dibromodifluoromethane, l,2-dibromo-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-ethane, 1,1,1,3,3-pentachlorotrifluoropropane, and l-bromo-2,4-dichloro-1,1,2, 3,3,4-hexafluorobutane--two formed flammable mixtures with nitrogen tetroxide and six with oxygen; none formed flammable mixtures with air. Three of the halogenated hydrocarbons formed no flammable zones with any of the three oxidizing atmospheres. For those halogenated hydrocarbons that supported combustion in oxygen atmospheres, explosion pressures developed during constant-volume burning of mixtures near the middle of the flammable zone were observed to range from about 6 psig for dibromodifluoromethane to 158 psig for 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane. In all cases, the calculated burning velocities of these mixtures were less than 8 in/sec.

Jan 1, 1966

By Alexander L. Peyton

The Magruder and Chambers copper deposits in the Little River gold district, on the border line of Lincoln and Wilkes Counties, Georgia, have been known for a number of years (fig. 1). The Magruder deposit was first opened as a gold mine but has produced mostly copper and load. Records show that about 50 cars of concentrates were shipped from this property. No record of any production at the Chambers deposit is available. The Bureau of Mines, in its program of investigation of strategic minerals deposits, diamond drilled 10 holes, totaling 3,784 feet, on the two properties between December 3, 1948, and June 23, 1949. Eighty-eight core samples were analyzed, and the analyses and drill-hole data are presented in this report.

Jan 1, 1950

By James S. Browning

[The objective of this project wan to determine the technical feasibility of recovering the associated copper, lead, and zinc from the pyrrhotite axe, of the Great Gossan lead, which has bon pined only for it:, sulfur and iron contents so far. The report constituted a description and discussion of small-scale Preliminary studies. This great pyrrhotite or body has strategic value, inasmuch it contains considerable quantities of zinc, copper, and lead, as well as the iron rend sulfur. The recovery of the: copper, lead, and zinc, associated with certain of the pyrrhotite ore bodies, could augment our domestic supply of these metals.]

Jan 1, 1953

By W. F. Faragher, W. A. HORNE

Previous interrogation of German scientific personnel by numerous in- vestigators and the examination of evacuated documents indicated that fur- ther information was desirable on a miscellany of products and processes of interest to the Petroleum Industry. Accordingly, Dr. Pier and a large number of other men of the I.G. Farbenindustrie, A.G. plant at Ludwigshafen/ Oppau were further interrogated in July-1945. The information contained in this report supplements that previously reported in the CIOS report of 16 August, 1945: "Report on Investigations by Fuels and Lubricants Teams at the I. G. Farbenindustrie A.G. works at Ludwigshafen and Oppau", edited by Lt. Col. R. Holroyd, (FP).

Aug 1, 1943

By H. Dolezal

A laboratory study of acid-ferrous sulfate treatment of low-grade manganese ores from the Cuyuna range, Minnesota resulted in 93-percent extraction of manganese as manganese sulfate with consumption of 3.8 pounds of H2S04 per pound of extracted manganese. Two types of ore were treated in consecutive stages. The first are contained carbonate minerals of manganese and iron, both soluble in H2S04 solution. The second ore contained manganese oxide minerals, insoluble in straight acid solution but soluble in the ferrous sulfate solution obtained from treating the first ore. Leaching data were obtained by countercurrent percolation of coarse (minus-1/2-inch) ore particles at room temperature and by agitating minus-65-mesh ore particles in heated solution. Extraction of manganese and acid consumption were the same, but the percolation leach required 6 days compared with 1 hour for hot agitation. Variations in the size of ore particles treated, leaching time, acid concentration, solution temperatures, and method of applying ferrous sulfate solution to the oxide ore were studied. The effects of several reagents for removing iron from solution and improving filtration were also studied.

Jan 1, 1959

By N. P. Kripakov

The Bureau of Mines has developed a unique new mine design procedure to determine the changing static load distributions imposed on under-ground support structures during the mining cycle. The procedure reduces the complexities associated with analyzing a three-dimensional problem. A combination of the multiple-seam displacement-discontinuity model and a two-dimensional finite-element window model produces refined results for a specific area of interest by assuming displacement compat-ibility between models. Input to the procedure includes the geometry of mined-out areas in up to two adjacent seams, the rock mass characteris-tics of the surrounding geology, the in situ stress conditions, and the mining sequence. The displacement-discontinuity program calculates ex-pected loadings for mine structures affected by the mining cycle and/or by overlying or underlying seams. Pseudoelastic finite-element analysis using a yield-factor approach determines the stability of coal pillars by simulating the degree and extent of nrogressive rib failure and sub-sequent load transfer. Application of the procedure is demonstrated on a field problem. In-duced stress changes predicted from the numerical model analysis are in reasonably good agreement with stress measurements obtained from an instrumented chain pillar affected by remnant workings in an upper seam.

Jan 1, 1988

By Charles D. Haynes

Outside air for ventilating coal mines in Alabama varies considerably in both temperature and moisture content during the year. Alternate condensation and evaporation of the moisture on mine roofs may result in stresses detrimental to the strength of mine roof. It is well known that the clays in shales absorb moisture, and many investigations have noted the weakening of shales by absorption of moisture. Parker (1970) concluded that there is an annual cycle of rock deterioration in mine roof rock caused by the annual temperature-humidity cycle at the surface. He further noted that moisture reduces the strength of dry rock by one-half, that moisture added to dry rock can cause failure in compression, and that drying of wet rock causes tensile stress buildups by shrinkage. His recommendations for alleviating the moisture-temperature problem was to seal the rock in critical areas and to control ventilation so that air temperature will be lower than rock temperature. The latter recommendation will avoid condensation on the rock surfaces. Hartmann and Greenwald (1941) published the results of a very comprehensive experimental project to determine the effect of temperature and humidity changes on the behavior of mine roof. Their general conclusions included statements that roof rocks were very sensitive to moisture changes, but had low coefficients of thermal expansion. The coefficients were twice in the direction normal to the bedding plane as compared to the parallel

Jan 1, 1975

By Herman W. Sheffer

This report describes and discusses present-day leaching technology employed to recover copper from low-grade mine and dump materials derived from the exploitation of copper ore deposits in the Western United States. Illustrations of the integral parts of the leaching, precipitation, and recovery operations at several copper-producing companies are presented. Schematic drawings are included to present typical flowsheets of leaching and precipitation operations. Operational problems common to most copper leaching and precipitation plants are discussed. Areas of present and future research to improve leaching techniques are cited.

Jan 1, 1968