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To develop a reliable, remotely-controlled, mobile roof support to eliminate the need to set posts, cribs, or props while extracting coal pillars. Approach The primary danger during pillar extraction is premature caving of the mine roof. The roof must cave predictably and dependably to ensure the safety of miners. Support during retreat mining is usually obtained by setting posts, cribs, props, roof bolts, or a combination of these devices. These are set manually by miners in the working area. To help minimize the danger to mine workers and to equipment posed by premature falls, the Bureau of Mines developed the mobile roof support (MRS) system to secure the roof during pillar extraction. How It Works The Mobile Roof Support (MRS) is eight-feet-wide, ten-feet-long and five-feet-high, with twelve inches of ground clearance. It is ruggedly built and exerts less than 20 psi ground pressure. The MRS is powered by a 40-hp, 460-v AC permissible motor. The reversible, variable tram speed is 80 ft/min on a 20-percent grade. It is tire-mounted, has a trailing cable, and is remotely controlled either by a radio or a tether communication cable. The machine carries four 50-ton jacks which serve as props for working heights from seven to fifteen feet. Two jacks are chassis-mounted and two are on swing arms. Each jack has a cap which distributes the roof load to three paints. The swing jacks form a breaker row to stop falling roof and prevent caving Into the work area. One jack has a visual load indicator and a second is wired to the machine lighting system. Blinking lights indicate when the preset loading is being exceeded. In the case of excessive loads, an ability to remotely jettison either or both swing jacks has been incorporated into the system to permit removal of the MRS while the roof is still supported.

Jan 1, 1985

By T. J. McDonald

The methods used and the results obtained in the application of high-expansion foam on a recent fire in an operating mine in western Pennsylvania were reviewed. This is the first instance where foam has been applied extensively to a fire under actual mining conditions although considerable research has been conducted and experimental fires have been controlled. The Bureau of Mines began investigating the foam-plug technique in 1957 in its experimental coal mine, following reports of successful trials in Eng-land, where the basic methods, using the normal ventilating current, were developed. Early in the research it was apparent that the normal ventilating current in mines in the United States would not provide adequate air pressure to drive a foam plug the distance that might be required. Subsequently, the Bureau of Mines developed a portable high-expansion foam generating unit consisting of a fan having relatively high pressure potential, net, sprays, and metering equipment. To date, foam generators have been constructed by the Bureau, by at least one operating coal company, and by one manufacturer of safety equipment. A number of units from the latter supplier have been adopted by coal-mining companies as an integral part in their firefighting installations.

Jan 1, 1961

By R. T. Stull, L. E. Geyer

"Previous Work:As outlined in previous papers* ond clays for graphite crucibles have been tested at the plants of the Detroit Lubricator Co., and the Detroit Copper and Brass Rolling Mills, Detroit, Mich.These tests indicated that there were two American clays (Missouri pot clay and Illinois kaolin) that tested better than the Klingenberg (German) clay. Dorset (English) ball clay was tenth in the list.Making the Crucibles:After it had been determined that American clays can be used successfully in graphite crucible manufacture and service, the next step in the investigation was to determine the value of American graphites as compared to the foreign, These final tests were carried out at the plant of the Detroit Lubricator Co., through the courtesy of Mr. G. B. Duffield. The crucibles, as previously. were made at the plant of the Vesuvius Crucible Co., Swissvale, Penna., from a formula compiled by the Bureau of Mines and under the supervision of Bureau engineers.The graphites to be tested were given an initial to indicate their source. The number of crucibles made and shipped are set forth in Table 1."

Nov 1, 1923

By Thomas P. Mucho, William D. Monaghan, John Wood, Michael A. Trevits

We have tested the ability of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to resolve adjacent mine workings. The work was conducted at two National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health locations – an underground coal mine and an underground limestone mine. The objective of our work was to determine if GPR signals could be received from distant mine workings. The GPR system was calibrated on underground mine pillars of known dimensions using a variety of antennas. The system was then tested at several underground locations in an effort to detect an adjacent drift entry; and an adjacent abandoned coal mine. As a means of verification, an in-seam horizontal hole was drilled from the active coal mine to the abandoned mine to confirm the presence and location of the abandoned mine workings. Our results show that in the case of the limestone mine the maximum depth of penetration where the mine workings could be resolved was 85 ft; and in the case of the coal mine the abandoned mine workings could be resolved at a depth of 205 ft. We conclude that it may be possible to utilize GPR for initial underground mine studies followed by directional drilling to accurately delineate the extent and position of adjacent abandoned mine workings.

By R. S. Conti

The US Bureau of Mines (USBM) has developed an inflatable feed-tube seal (IFTS) for high-expansion foam generators. The IFTS is a lightweight, portable, rectangular inflatable bag that can be used by firefighters to rapidly seal large openings, such as those in underground mines, and to simultaneously provide a feed-tube for a high- expansion foam generator. Thus allows fire-fighting foam to freely flow to the fire site and control or extinguish the fire. Studies indicated that a high-expansion foam plug will travel 183 m (600ft) down an entry with a 4.5% rise in elevation, before leakage of foam from around the inflatable partition.

By Amanda Azman, Richard Hi Danie/son

Ultimately, the most important product of a hearing conservation program is the prevention of hearing loss, not the amount of hearing protection that has been purchased or whether employees are attending their annual training sessions. Audiometric testing directly reveals whether hearing losses are actually occurring in a plant. With audiometric data, we can assess overall program effectiveness, alert workers of impending hearing loss, and reveal potential employer liabilities for compensable hearing loss. Without the ability to efficiently analyze audiometric data or produce effective reports, our programs become fruitless and unproductive. Consequently, ifaudiometric data are such vital end-products, then effective audiometric technologies serve as the prime architect and generator of these fundamental data. These technologies, consisting ofaudiometers, associated peripheral hardware, and database/reporting software, deserve our consideration.

By Dorsey A. Lyon

At the main experiment station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines , situated in Pittsburgh, Pa . , three phases of its work in behalf of the safety of the coal miner are the establishment of permissible explosives for use in gaseous and dusty mines , the development of electrical equipment that can be used with safety in mines of this character , and improvement in the safety of mechanical devices used in and about the mines . Also That these efforts are beginning to have a cumulative effect in lives. saved is evident from the fatality statistics of the industry . Although nearly 80,000 more men are employed in coal mining than ten years ago and much more coal is mined , the fatalities each year are considerably less than ten years ago . the amount of coal mined in a year for each life lost has risen between 60,000 and 70,000 tons . In 1909 , the year before the Bureau was created , the production of coal for each life lost was 174,416 tons . In 1920 , the production for each life lost was 285,000 tons .

Mar 1, 1921

By R. V. Ramani, R. Stefanko, G. W. Luxbacher

MINE VENTILATION NETWORK ANALYSIS

Jan 1, 1977

By Oliver Bowles

As the preface states, this bulletin is the fourth of a series of re- ports by the Bureau of Mines on different phases of quarrying in the United States. The first part of the bulletin describes the chief types of cements, the growth of the cement industry in this country, and the character of the raw materials used. The bulk of the report deals with quarrying methods and equipment, and gives especial attention to drilling and blasting; a chapter on rock mining and one on pros- pecting are included. Methods of manufacture are mentioned briefly, as that subject, except as related to quarrying, lies outside the scope of this report; but transportation methods and the effects of the man- ner of mixing the materials at the quarry or crushing plant on quarrying methods are discussed.

Jan 1, 1918

By D. A. Hill

Introduction The fields of an infinite line source in the presence of a conducting half-space have been examined by Wait and Spies (1971). In any real communication link using a current-carrying cable for the transmitting antenna, the cable is of finite length. Here we examine the fields of a finite length cable carrying a constant current in the presence of a homogeneous conducting half-space. The constant current assumption is valid at sufficiently low frequencies when an insulated cable is grounded at the end points (Wait, 1952; Sunde, 1968). Here we examine both surface and buried cables since both downlink and uplink communication links are of interest. Also, we examine both frequency and time solutions since either CW or pulsed communications may be used. Finally, it is necessary to include both magnetic and electric field solutions since reception could be with either loops or dipoles. Since the finite cable solution is more complicated than both the infinite line source and the short dipole solutions, we explore under what conditions a cable appears to be either infinitely long or very short. Some special cases, such as- the low frequency limit, permit analytical solutions which exhibit the dependence on various parameters, such as cable length, quite clearly. Frequency Domain Subsurface Fields The geometry of a line source of length 2[l] located on a conducting half-space with the observer in the half-space is shown in Figure 1. The fields

Jan 1, 1973

By J. J. Demeter

Anthracite from the four producing regions in Pennsylvania was both ashed in the laboratory and burned on a chain-grate stoker to determine the sulfur-retention properties of its ash. The retention of sulfur in laboratory-prepared anthracite ash was shown to be related to ashing temperature and to the amounts of sulfur and calcium present in the coal. At the usual laboratory ashing temperature of 750° C sulfur retention ranged from 0.8 to 13.2 percent of the total coal sulfur. Sulfur retention in the ash was negligible, o to 0.3 percent, at 1,200° C, which is the thermal decomposition temperature of calcium sulfate; thus calcium sulfate does not form and cannot serve as a sulfur-retaining agent. In several tests the anthracite was mixed with 6 or 10 percent dolomite prior to firing in the chain-grate stoker. The dolomite did not improve sulfur retention owing to the high temperature in the fuel bed. Sulfur retention was, however, related to the unburned carbon in the ash. The relationship of the percentage of original coal sulfur retained in the ash (Y) to the percentage of the original carbon in the coal remaining in the ash (X) is expressed by Y = -0.579 + 0.914X. The percentage of sulfur retained is almost directly proportionate to the percentage of original coal carbon in the ash.

Jan 1, 1968

By G. R. Palmer

The Bureau of mines evaluated the elution of uranyl carbonate from a strong base resin with a mixed carbonate eluant in a fluidized system. The system consisted of a multiple-compartment ion-exchange (MCIX) elution column with a continuous flow of solution, except for short periods when the resin increments were withdrawn. The exchange of uranyl carbonate from the mill-loaded strong base resin with an eluant composed of 1.0 [M] NaaCOs plus 1.0 [M] NH4HCO3 was studied. The effects of solution flow rate, aqueous-to-resin flow ratio, column diameter, compartment height, initial resin concentration, and column length were examined. The experimental data indicate that for the eluant examined, a resin residence time of 240 minutes is necessary to attain 90-percent elution efficiency. Also provided is a technique for sizing an elution MCIX column form pilot plant experimental data.

Jan 1, 1979

By S. J. Page, J. A. Organiscak

Dust surveys were conducted around small truck-mounted rock drills operating at surface coal mines to assess their airborne respirable dust generation and in-service dust control methods. Of four out of seven drills sampled, respirable dust concentrations measured around the drill deck ranged from 8.68 to 95.15 mg/m with3concentrations ranging from 1.37 to 2.69 mg/m at distances 12.2 to 30.5 m downwind of these drills. The other3drills had noticeably lower respirable dust concentrations measured around the drill deck at or below 1.30 mg/m.3Rotoclone-type dry dust collectors were commonly used with dust being emitted from around the drill deck shroud, collector exhaust, and collector fines dumping. Wind speed and direction was also a factor in the dust concentrations measured on the bench. Dust control modifications were made to three rock drills to reduce their airborne dust emissions. Dust controls tested included water injection into the Rotoclone exhaust, Rotoclone exhaust extension, improved sealing of drilling deck shroud, shrouding the Rotoclone hopper dump process, and wet drilling. These control techniques showed noticeable improvement in dust concentrations measured around the drills. Finally, repositioning the drill operator showed that operator dust exposure can be improved by avoiding the dust cloud around the drill.

Jan 1, 1995

By Clarence O. Babcock

ROCK BEHAVIOR has proved of national interest in a variety of fields. The behavior of rock consequent to a nuclear blast was used to detect such blasts, as criteria for the design of underground military defense installations that would resist nuclear blasts, and for judging the feasibility for peaceful uses of nuclear explosives. An obvious peaceful application of nuclear explosives would be for large-scale rock excavation, and plans were presented during the year to improve the present Panama Canal or create a new canal by this method. These plans were based largely on earlier crater tests that demonstrated rock behavior when subjected to a buried nuclear blast. A knowledge of rock behavior under impact was used to evaluate the materials of the moon by means of the geometric configurations visible in the close-up pictures of the moon surface taken by the U.S. rocket Ranger 7. The composition of the moon must be considered in devising methods for taking samples of the surface layers or in designing underground shelters as bases for future explorations of the moon.

Jan 1, 1965

By P. M. Gruzensky

In view of some of the outstanding properties of chromium, considerable effort has been made in recent years to prepare the high-purity metal in ductile form. The object of this investigation was to obtain such metal by electrolysis of chromic acid solutions and to determine the conditions that yield optimum results. The apparatus is described, as well as the parameters that received consideration. Ion-exchange resins were employed to remove cation impurities from the electrolyte. Tensile specimens prepared from the electrodeposits by arc melting, press forging, swaging, and drawing, were ductile at room temperature. INTRODUCTION Metallic chromium displays an exceptionally high resistance to corrosion, oxidation, and wear at elevated temperatures. Although these properties are utilized to some extent when chromium is alloyed with other metals, such as in stainless steels, high-chromium alloys and pure chromium are not employed as engineering materials because of a serious lack of ductility and impact resistance at room temperature. Because high-chromium alloys appear promising as refractory metals for applications such as in gas turbines, much interest has been shown recently in the preparation of uniformly ductile chromium and in determining which factors contribute to its brittleness.

Jan 1, 1957

By J. P. Barkley

"The accompanying tabulation gives the results of a series of operating tests on two types of small stokers. One was an inclined, natural-draft, moving-grate, overfeed ""hand-stoker"" fired and manipulated by hand; the other was. a horizontal, forced-draft, stationary-grate, underfeed, mechanical unit-stoker operated by an electric motor. These were installed as shown by the accompanying sketches (figs. 1 and 2) under horizontal return tubular boilers of a nominal rating of 150 bl.h.p. each.The steam load carried by these boilers was a rather typical heating load. It was fairly constant and of about 30 bl.h.p. throughout the summer months, with small variation between day and night. During the winter months the daily variations were dependent upon the outside temperature. The boilers were banked a considerable part of the night.As noted in the table, two kinds of coal were used. The size of one kind was run-of-mine and the other 11/4 inch nut and clack. These coals from two different mines of the New River district both caked considerably during burning, the nut and slack more than the other. Analyses of the coal were as follows:"

Jun 1, 1929

By F. L. Wideman

SPURRED by demands of a buoyant economy for mineral products, output from mines in the United States established a new record. Removal of waste material, necessary for the extraction of economic minerals, kept pace with mine production. Earth moving by these two activities exceeded 3 billion tons, an increase of 5 percent over that of 1963. Crude materials from which metal or nonmetal products were derived accounted for 75 percent of the total. The remainder, mostly worthless, was classified as waste. Changes in the minerals industry result from many causes. Technological trends and labor productivity are among several significant and interrelated indexes that assist in the analysis of the changes. Therefore, a. study of productivity is helpful in measuring technological growth in mining. Concepts of productivity tend to vary with the purpose for which the term is used; frequently, productivity is expressed in terms of units of output per unit of labor, such as tons of ore per man-hour or man-shift. Comparisons of levels of productivity for a group of products are usually made using composites of output. Data for all metal and nonmetal mines except gold, silver, mercury, platinum metals group, and sand and grave were used to compile the composite for determining productivity for 1960-64. Copper ore, iron ore, and phosphate rock are mined mainly by surface methods, but characteristics of the deposits and differences in processing the crude material affect production of the commodities. Therefore, productivity data for these selected segments of the minerals industry reflect the influence of physical conditions on the exploitation of them.

Jan 1, 1965

By Kenneth B. Higbie

PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON announced at midyear that the test flight of the A-It plane, the world's first super-sonic aircraft capable of flying 2,000 miles per hour, was made possible by "the mastery of the metallurgy 'and fabrication of titanium." Not all of the contributions made by the mineral industry in 1964 were acknowledged so widely. Yet the contributions were significant as the search continued for new and improved methods for providing metals and mineral products to meet the ever-expanding requirements of the world economy. This chapter reviews only a few of the metallurgical developments that resulted from U.S. and foreign research efforts. MINERAL BENEFICIATION Up-to-date theory 'and practice in the mineral ,Processing field in 1963 involved subjects such as autogenous grinding, high-intensity magnetic separation, and mill control by computers. These subjects were fully discussed at the Seventh International Minerals Processing Congress held in New York City during September.

Jan 1, 1965

By Gary P. Sames

This report discusses some practical applications of a geotechnical investigation conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines that can help mine operators meet revised Federal regulations in their roof control plans. The investigation, designed to characterize roof conditions near the coalbed outcrop in drift coal mines in eastern Kentucky, revealed that weathered stress-relief joints near outcrop are crucial ground control factors in the region. The joints' origin and character were determined through underground mapping of many joints in coal mine roof and detailed observations and measurement of joint trends and physical characteristics in widely separated strip mine highwalls and roadcuts. This resulted in an understanding of stress-relief-joint patterns and the effect of various rock types on the intensity of weathering in the joints. That information is used in this report to show how stress-relief joints contribute to roof failure and how, through improved roof support and mine planning, safer roof support plans can be developed.

Jan 1, 1992

By T. T. Campbell

Research conducted by the Bureau of Mines demonstrated the feasibility of preparing columbium and tantalum metals by the application of Kroll-process techniques. Yields in excess of 95 percent were obtained in a modified Kroll-process reduction apparatus constructed from nickel and Inconel.4 Operating conditions during reduction and distillation were determined. Optimum temperatures during sodium reductions ranged from 650° to 750° C and for magnesium from 700° to 800° C with retort pressures ranging from 3 to 7 psig. Undesirable vapor phase reactions occurred when temperatures exceeded 750° C during sodium reductions or 850° C with magnesium. Vacuum distillation at 850° C effectively removed volatile salts and excess reductant from the reduced metals. Calculations based on the results obtained in small scale tests indicate that reaction rates of up to 34 lb/hr could be obtained during columbium reductions and up to 60 lb/hr during tantalum reductions in production scale reac¬tors. The small, laboratory-scale techniques used in this study could be adapted to commercial practice. The reduced powder or sponge metals can be consolidated by conventional arc-melting techniques, and the arc-melted metals can be fabricated into ductile sheet at room temperature. Analyses of arc-melted buttons prepared from Kroll-process tantalum or columbium showed that tantalum of greater than 99.8-percent purity was obtained and that columbium purity exceeded 99.7 percent. A significant purification of the reduced metals occurred when they were consolidated by electron-beam melting, and the purity and ductility of electron-beam-melted Kroll-process tantalum and columbium compared favorably with the commercial metals. After electron-beam melting, the purity of the tantalum exceeded 99.95 percent, and columbium purity was approximately 99.9 percent.

Jan 1, 1962