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By S. M. Shelton, W. A. Calhoun, M. M. Fine, T. L. Johnston

"INTRODUCTION An extensive test program is in progress by the Bureau of Mines to determine ways and means of recovering ferromanganese-grade ore 6/ from the wide-spread domestic manganese and manganiforous iron deposits. Samples for testing were received from the Interstate Manganese Co. in northeastern Tennessee, 11 miles west of Mountain City and 10 miles southwest of Damascus Va. The ore deposit occurs in the residual material of the Shady dolomite 7/ as an unconsolidated mixture of hard and soft manganese oxides and clay.Numerous tunnels and pits have developed a large reserve of ore in an area of about 15 acres. One pit 250 by 50 by 20 feet is being mined by rower shovels. The ore is hauled to a washing plant for log-washing, hand-sorting, and jigging. Coarse concentrates from the washing plant are marketed without further beneficiation.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of R. F. Fisher, who made the roasting and magnetic tests."

Mar 1, 1942

By William Cochran

The Bureau of Mines investigated mine subsidence caused by recent underground mining, estimated the extent of damages, and formulated a procedure for evaluating subsidence costs. On the basis of the quantity of material removed from beneath the surface, bituminous coal mining currently causes more extensive subsidence problems than mining of other minerals; costs are highest in areas such as western Pennsylvania where urban and suburban development and related types of land use conflict with mineral recovery. The Bureau of Mines estimated subsidence costs, including surface damages and control costs, for a 12-county area in western Pennsylvania for 1968. Total surface damages attributable to the underground production of bituminous coal in the 1-year period were $295,000; in addition, 12.4 million tons of coal, valued at $4.3 million, was left in place to minimize potential surface damage. Of the total subsidence cost ($4.6 million), $2.7 million was classified as external or social costs, not reflected in the market value of bituminous coal; this averaged $0.05 per ton of production, or slightly less than 1 percent of the market value.

Jan 1, 1971

By W. D. Ryan

Industry must be made to realize that "Safety First" means just that - safety first. The miner must realize that safety first takes precedence over earnings. The employer must realize that safety is the first consideration, and is not to be subordinated to profit-making. Neither employee nor employer is justified in adopting the principle of safety first with reservations; that is they will practice safety first only so long as they think that it does not interfere with earnings or profits. This paper proposes to demonstrate that suberdinating safety to possible profit is short-sighted and that over an ex- tended period of time it dres not result in increased profits or earnings. An employee through disregard of safe practice may receive an injury that will cause him a loss of earnings if, indeed, he is net killed or permanently in- capacitated. If permanently incapacitated any compensation he may receive is very likely to be wholly inadequate as compared with probable earnings if the accident had not cccurred. The employer, upon his part, will find that the burden of compensating his injured employse will far exceed the outlay of money necessary to maintain a reasonable program of safety in his mine or plant. The mine foreman is one of the most important factors in the matter of mine safety. A vigilant and competent mine foreman, once he has established the confidence of the employees in his ability as a foreman, can be of invalu- able assistance in promoting mine safety, for through him and his assistants the employees may be made to cooperate. Every employer should remember, then, that the soluction of the foremen and their assistants is one of the most important matters connected with the work of establishing the maximum amount of safety in his mine. Everyone connected with the mining industry must be made to realize that there is to be no back-sliding and no let-up in safety work; that no matter how dry and tedious the routine may seem it is absolutely essential and justi- fied for both humanitarian and economical reasons. Efficient safety effort pays dividends in actual cash to both employer and employee. About 50 per cent of underground accidents in coal mines take place at the working face where the miners dig and load the coal. Approximately 17 per cent of coal-mine fatal accidents are the result of underground haulage. Face and haulage accidents can and will be reduced materially if the individual miner takes all precautions necessary to protect himself and if the management

Jun 1, 1930

By H. C. Hamontre

[The Bureau of Mines well-bore caliper was designed to provide an instrument that could be operated through 2-inch tubing, which 'a used particularly in many input wells on water-flooding projects of eastern, Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. It should find wide application elsewhere under many other conditions where it has not been possible previously to make caliper logs with the larger probes used on other instruments. The caliper has three additional advantages over other instruments of this type: (1) It measures 4 radii (up to 18 inches) 90° apart with an accuracy of ± 1/4 inch; (2) the measuring arms can be opened and closed at will by remote control; and (3) it is run and operated on a single-conductor, armored electric cable (Amergraph, type 1-H-0). The caliper probe is 1-3/4 inches in diameter and approximately 6 feet in length. The electrical control and measuring circuits are encased in a stainless-steel tubular case. Measuring arms, made of 5/16-inch aluminum tubing, are attached near the lower end of the instrument. Distances the arms are extended are indicated t the surface by a meter calibrated to read directly in inches. Depths at which the radii measurements are taken are indicated by a wireline depth indicator on the cable-reeling. The instrument is not affected by pressure or temperature, it can be run open hole or under pressure through a lubricator. This paper describes and illustrates the instrument and outlines the operating procedures. A bibliography at the end of the report gives references to articles and patents on the development and use of other well-bore calipers.]

Jan 1, 1954

By N. A. Eilertsen

Procedures of mining high-calcium limestone underground at the Kimballton mine of the Standard Lime and Cement Co. in Giles County, west-central Virginia, are described. Drilling and blasting procedures area discussed in detail, and direct mining costs are tabulated in percentage of total cost. Output, about 1,725 tons of limestone a day, is attained with heavy trackless equipment by the room and pillar method of mining modified by benching floors. Operating features include underground air compression, electric-eye control of curtained doorways, use of a single jumbo drill rig for all drilling, and an effective plan for maintenance of equipment. The company's safety program has contributed to an outstanding safe mining record. The mine is integrated with a plant on the property which converts the stone to metallurgical and chemical grade lime.

Jan 1, 1964

By W. W. Adams

The metal and nonmetallic mineral mines (excluding coal mines) of the United States had a more favorable safety record in 1935 than in any year except 1931 and 1932 since annual statistics of accidents first became available in 1911. The accident rate was even lower than that for 1911, when the recorded rate probably did not reflect all of the accidents that actually occurred because many companies had not yet begun to keep complete records of accidents, especially those causing only minor injuries, and when, therefore, the number of accidents revealed by the companies' reports to the Bureau of Mines was probably not as complete as that reported for later years. Compared. with 1911, the accident rate covering fatal and nonfatal injuries in. 1935 decreased 13 percent. Compared with 1925, when the rate was the highest ever reported, the rate for 1935 decreased 47 percent and compared with 1934, 7 percent. The progress in safety which the mines of the country made in 1935 was not confined to any section or mining region; it was shared by a majority of the mining States and applied to underground mining operations, to open-pit mining, and to work at surface shops and yards. The rate for underground mining declined 8 percent from 1934; the rate for open-pit mining declined 14 percent, and that for surface shops and yards 12 percent.

Jan 1, 1938

By R. G. Knickerbocker, David Schlain, F. K. Shelton, J. H. Jacobs

"Many manganese ores contain from 0.1 to several percent cobalt. If such ores arc used for the production of ferromanganese, the cobalt is lost; on the other hand, if they are used for the production of electrolytic manganese, the cobalt can be recovered during the purification of the electrolyte.The production of cobalt in the United States is insignificant compared to the amount consumed, most of which is imported from the Belgian Congo. Cobalt-bearing manganese ores may therefore constitute an important reserve of cobalt in times of emergency. Moreover, the combined value of manganese and cobalt in some ores may be sufficient to warrant the recovery of both metals by the electrolytic manganese process, whereas the recovery of either manganese or cobalt alone might not be economically feasible.In view of the potential importance of manganese ores as a source of cobalt, a survey has boon made of the cobalt content of manganese ores. Most of the data have been obtained from analyses made in the Bureau of Mines, but valuable data have also been obtained from publications of the Geological Survey, various State publications, and other sources. Unfortunately, most published analyses of manganese ores do not include cobalt determinations; when such analyses were fairly detailed, but did not include cobalt, it was presumed that cobalt was not present in significant quantity.Information on the cobalt content of domestic manganese ores is given in table 1. Ores containing 0.1 percent or more cobalt are listed in table 2, and the districts in which such ores occur are shown in figure 1. Most of the known cobalt-bearing manganese ores occur in the southeastern part of the United States. A group of deposits in central Arizona and a few scattered deposits in other States also' contain cobalt."

Apr 1, 1946

By James R. Boyle

The mining methods and practices used at the Young zinc mine, American Zinc Co. of Tennessee, have resulted in a low-cost, high-yield operation. Zinc ore (sphalerite) occurs in limestone-dolomite beds of the Kingsport Formation and is mined by modified room and pillar method. Utilizing trackless mining equipment which incorporates a high degree of flexibility, this operation has had a steady increase in productivity.

Jan 1, 1965

By Chas. G. Maier

The bright annealing of copper is an industrial practice of considerable importance. In connection with this process, equilibrium concentrations of carbon monoxide and dioxide, which may exist in contact with copper and cuprous oxide at elevated temperatures, are of interest. Data obtained at the Pacific Experiment Station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines enable estimates of these equilibrium concentrations to be made in two independent ways. Although the publication of final data on one method can not take place until certain further experimental work is accomplished, repeated requests which the Bureau of Minus has had for data relative to the annealing and deoxidation of copper justify the present preliminary report. This paper deals with the calculation of gas concentrations in the reduction of cuprous oxide, using more scientific data which will be published later, and refers especially to those conditions of temperature and concentration of practical implication, and from which critical limits ensue.

Jan 1, 1929

By W. C. Holliman

This second of a series of reports on the characteristics of commercial aviation gasolines presents inspection test data furni8hed on their products by 15 manufacturers of commercial grades of aviation gasoline and special data obtained in Bureau of Mines laboratories on samples of these gasolines. Data on 18 grade-80, 20 grade-91/98, 20 grade-100/130, and 9 grade-115/145 aviation fuels are presented. These gasolines represent July 1947 production.

Jan 1, 1948

By J. W. Town

As part of the Federal Bureau of Mines titanium resources examination program, samples from seven deposits in the Pacific Northwest were tested for amenability to various beneficiation techniques. The samples obtained by the Bureau's Office of Mineral Resources at Spokane, Washington represent a large potential source of titanium. This report summarizes the results of tests at the Bureau's Metallurgy Research Center, Albany, Oregon. Recoveries from tabling placer samples were about 50 percent at grades of 30 percent titanium dioxide. Flotation was the most effective method for concentrating the fine ilmenite in clay samples; recoveries of approximately 50 30 percent titanium dioxide. Flotation was the most effective method for concentrating the fine ilmenite in clay samples; recoveries of approximately 50

Jan 1, 1961

By N. S. Dalal, Xiaoya Sun, Xianglin Shi

"The in vivo toxicity of vanadium(V) has been found to correlate with the depletion of cellular glutathione and related non-protein thiols. With a view to understanding the mechanism for this observation, we have investigated the oxidation of glutathione, cysteine N·acetylcystcinc and pcnicil· lamine by vanadium(V), using electron spin resonance (ESR) and ESR spin trapping methodology. The spin trap used was 5,5-dimethyl-l-pyrroline I-oxide (DMPO). It is found that the oxidation of these thiols by vanadium(V) generates the corresponding thiyl radicals and vanadilim- (IV) complexes. The results suggest that free radical reactions play a significant role in the depletion of cellular thiols by vanadium(V) and hence in vanadium(V) toxicity. 1. INTRODUCTIONThis communication reports on the identification of thiyl radicals formed as intermediates in the reaction of vanadium(V) with glutathione (GSH) and related nonprotein thiols. This study was undertaken because the biochemical mechanism of vanadium toxicity is still not fully understood,. despite being a topic of current research activity [1-20). As to possible clues, it is known that vanadium is most toxic when administered in its pentavaient state [21), and that vanadium(V) administration into laboratory mice reduces cellular levels of NAD(P)H and GSH [22). While the oxidation of NAD(P)H by vanadium has been studied extensively [16-20), that of glutathione and related non-protein thiols has been paid less attention. On the other hand, GSH and related thiols are important cellular antioxidants [23). Their functions include decomposing lipid peroxides and protecting cell membranes [23-25). Thus any reduction in the cellular contents of such nonprotein thiols after vanadium exposure may result in the accumulation of lipid peroxides which might ultimately lead to tissue injury. With a view of finding the mechanism for this thiol depletion process, we have investigated reactions of non-protein thiols with vanadium(V). Particular attention has been paid to the detection of thiyl radicals, since it has been postulated [l] (but not experimentally proven) that the glutathionyl radical (GS·) might be an intermediate in the reaction between vanadium(V), NADH and GSH. We have used electron spin resonance (ESR) and ESR spin trapping methodology for investigating the reactions of GSH, cysteine, N-acetylcysteine and penicillamine with vanadium(V). The results show that the corresponding thiyl radicals are indeed formed in the one-electron reduction of vanadium(V) by all of the above mentioned thiols."

Jan 1, 1990

By Robert L. Lagace, Michael A. Grossman, Alfred G. Emslie

This supplement to the final report is a collection of interim and monthly reports and working memoranda prepared during the course of this program to document the progress, methods and results of the work. The supplement is divided into the self-contained sections briefly described below. I. SELECTED MONTHLY TECHNICAL LETTER REPORTS - This section is a collection of selected monthly technical letter reports that briefly summarizes the chronological development of the analyses and results, including the different concepts, theoretical approaches, and methods of data reduction and analysis explored, and the discoveries, insights and findings made along the way. More detailed treatments of the key developments and results are presented in the interim reports and working memoranda reproduced in subsequent sections of this supplementary report, and in the separately published final report. II. BACKGROUND THEORY FOR MEASUREMENT PROGRAM ON MEDIUM AND HIGH FREQUENCY RADIO TRANSMISSION IN COAL SEAMS - Working Memorandum - This working memorandum gives the initial background theory needed to guide the planned measurements and data analyses of this program to describe the propagation of radio waves-in coal seams for the frequency range of 50 to 5000 kHz. III. MODELLING AND DATA ANALYSIS OF IN-MINE ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE PROPAGATION - Interim Report - This interim report presents detailed treatments of the data analysis and modelling techniques used, and the associated results obtained from conductor-free area propagation data measured by T. Cory in the first set of six coal mines. The mines were located in three highcoal seams; the Pittsburgh seam in northern West Virginia, the Pocahontas No. 3 seam in Virginia, and the Herrin No. 6 seam in Illinois. IV. ANALYSIS OF MF PROPAGATION DATA FROM MARGARET NO. 11, NANTY GLO, EHRENFELD, AND ADRIAN COAL MINES - Interim Report - This interim report presents detailed treatments of several improved data analysis and Modelling methods applied to, and results obtained from, conductor-free area propagation data measured by T. Cory in the second set of four coal mines. These mines were located in three low-coal seams; the Upper Freeport seam in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and the Lower Freeport and Lower Kittaning seams in Pennsylvania. In addition, this report contains a reprint of two papers presented at a Bureau of Mines sponsored EM Guided Waves in Mine Environments Workshop held in Boulder Colorado. One paper describes the three-layer theoretical model and its application to the conductor-free data from the first six mines, while the second paper describes the theory developed for the coupling of loop antennas to a cable in a mine tunnel in a coal seam, and the model's application to data in the vicinity of cables taken at the Margaret No. 11 mine. V. A METHOD FOR NONINTRUSIVE, IN-SITU MEASUREMENT OF COAL AND ROCK CONDUCTIVITIES IN A COAL MINE TUNNEL - Working Memorandum - This working memorandum briefly describes a possible direct method, and its potential advantages and shortcomings, for performing in-situ measurements of coal and rock conductivities. VI. MODELLING AND DATA ANALYSIS OF IN-MINE ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE PROPAGATION FROM 50 to 5000 kHz - Interim Report - This interim report presents a summary comparison of theoretical and experimental results for conductor- free areas in eleven coal mines located in seven coal seams. It also summarizes the findings and their implications for intrinsically-safe, portable radio communications between roving miners.

Jan 2, 1980

By Thomas A. Phillips

An economic evaluation of the Bureau of Mines process for the separation of raw urban refuse into its metal, mineral, and energy components is presented. The process recovers ferrous metal, mixed nonferrous metals, aluminum, mixed-color glass cullet, and refuse-derived fuel products from raw refuse. Data for this evaluation were obtained from selected runs at the Bureau's pilot plant in Edmonston, Md. A cost estimate was prepared for a plant capable of processing 1,000 tons per day of raw urban refuse operating two shifts, 6 days per week. The fixed capital cost, based on second quarter 1976 equipment costs, is approximately $14.5 million excluding land and shipping containers. The estimated operating cost is approximately $8 per ton of refuse processed. This does not include credit for the products, transportation of the products, a tipping fee, or a dumping fee for wastes produced. No finance charges or taxes are included in the operating costs.

Jan 1, 1977

By E. V. Deshayes, W. E. Young

"INTRODUCTION The Camp Bird mine was investigated by Bureau of Mines engineers 3/ September 22 and 24, 1942, and April 29 and 30, 1944. In a subsequent report and supplement, it was recommended that core drilling be done below the 14th. level to determine if commercial ore existed at greater depths, and particularly if ore existed in the vein or adjacent thereto where it passes into the sedimentary formations estimated to underlie the volcanics approximately 400 feet below the 14th level.Seven diamond-drill holes aggregating 3,956 feet were drilled. Four of these holes were under the Hematite ore body and three were under the Big Discovery ore body. Two holes under, the Hematite ore body wore directed at angles but little steeper than the angle of dip of the vein and penetrated the sedimentaries beneath the volcanics close to the vein. Enough low-grade ore was found at the base of the Telluride conglomerate to indicate the presence of a large body of low-grade zinc sulfide ore. Two holes were directed to crosscut the vein at a depth of approximately 125 feet below the 14th level. No commercial ore was cut, but the vein showed the average width and same general characteristics as at the 14th level. One hole under the Big Discovery ore body was directed to crosscut the vein and test the base of the Telluride conglomerate in the footwall block. No commercial ore was found in either the vein or the sedimentary horizon. One hole was directed to test the base of the Telluride conglomerate in close proximity to the vein in the hanging-wall block. This hole was lost approximately 100 feet short of its objective, and a third hole was drilled to accomplish this same thing. The third hole was stopped approximately 50 feet short of its objective when failure of equipment caused a recess of the"

May 1, 1948

By E. R. Spencer, E. R. Bauer

Previous studies and research efforts have shown that noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a problem in the U.S. mining industry. In response, researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have been conducting a cross-sectional survey of equip­ment noise and worker noise exposures in the mining industry to estimate the potential for NIHL within the mining community. One commodity recently surveyed was the extraction of sand and gravel from surface pits and by dredging. To address the potential for NIHL in the sand and gravel industry, sound levels on and around the dredges and processing equipment were recorded to iden­tify areas of high noise levels. Full-shift worker dosimetry, in conjunction with task observations, was documented to determine the relationship between exposure and source. This paper presents research examining noise on dredges used in several surface mine sand and gravel operations and in the processing facilities. Results indicate that there are areas on the dredges (crane, suction pumps and diesel engines) where sound levels greater than 90 dB(A) are pres­ent. In addition, crushers and screens used in the processing of the sand and gravel also generate sound levels greater than 90 dB(A). Although no surveyed worker exceeded the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA’s) permissible exposure level (PEL) of 90 dB(A) eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA8), laborers, mechanics, oilers, helpers, pickers and greasers are the workers most likely to be exposed to hazardous sound levels and to thus develop NIHL over time

This Bureau of Mines publication presents five papers given at a Technology Transfer Seminar on Metal Mine Fire Protection Research. Several seminars are held each year to bring the latest results of Bureau conducted and sponsored research to the attention of the mining industry as quickly as possible.

Jan 1, 1977

By G. A. Savanick

The Bureau of Mines has designed, fabricated, and field tested a water jet cutting device capable of perforating nonmetallic well casings for the purpose of completing or stimulating in situ uranium leaching wells. The device is lowered into the wellbore, where it issues a high-velocity water jet that penetrates either a polyvinyl chloride or fiberglass casing, cement, and from 1 to 4 feet into the surrounding uraniferous sandstone. The resulting perforations allow leaching solution to pass between the sandstone and the wellbore. This report describes the water jet perforator, tells how it is used, presents cost data, and discusses the results of laboratory and field tests. The tests were designed to (1) determine the optimum operating conditions for water jet perforation, (2) assess the effects of changes in these conditions, (3) evaluate the performance of the water jet perforator under actual conditions, and (4) compare this method with other methods of well completion. These tests showed that water jet perforation is superior to conventional well completion methods for selectively achieving communication between the well-bore and adjacent sand while maintaining sand control, for restoring permeability lost through wellbore damage, for stimulating poorly performing wells for completing wells with casings that have inside diameters as small as 2 inches, and for extending the effective well diameter.

Jan 1, 1981

By P. S. Haury

"INTRODUCTION Many ore deposits were discovered in the Wallapai Mining District, which covers the Cerbat Range in Mohave County, Ariz., during the early period of mining there from about 1865 to the 1890's. A considerable amount of production was obtained from shallow lead carbonate ores that carried considerable gold and silver.Mining was revived in 1906 and again during the First World War, and soma of the mines were deepened into the underlying sulfide zone. Substantial quantities of metal were recovered from two mines, the Golconda and the Tennessee-Schuylkill, that were, developed to depths of 1,600 and 1,400 feet, respectively. The Golconda is credited with $6,500,000 gross productions. 2/ This mine was not operated after 1917. The Tennessee-Schuylkill is still operating after a yield of about 300,000 tons of ore that averaged 4.33 percent lead and 7.74 percent zinc and contained an appreciable amount of gold and silver.Many of the old mines were reopened in 1942 or 1943 under the stimulus of premium prices for lead and zinc. A large proportion of this work was finished with loans from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. It was believed that a good deal of lead and zinc could be recovered from the mines if a custom mill for concentration of the ores was available locally."

Aug 1, 1947

By John Nagy

A study was made in the Bureau of Mines experimental coal mine of factors affecting gas ignition by a cutoff explosive charge. Experiments showed that, although gas could be ignited under some circumstances, the probability under normal mining conditions would be low. The use of permissible explosives, relatively short-delay intervals in firing adjacent holes, blasting to a 6-inch kerf, and reasonable care in the placement of the holes favor safe blasting and are current practice in mining. The experiments also showed that the weight of the charge is not a primary factor in the ignition of gas by a cutoff charge. The quenching action of a first charge on the igniting action of a second was verified in a supplementary study. Related experiments have shown that gas at the face may be ignited by a single charge of explosive when fired with a light coal burden. Permissible explosives were less hazardous under these conditions than nonpermissible explosives. The frequency of gas ignition in cutoff and single-charge experiments increased as the linear distance between the sheared face and the opposing mine rib increased.

Jan 1, 1960