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By Ch. D. Taylor

Past studies with blowing face ventilation systems have shown that using a machine-mounted scrubber and water sprays can reduced methane levels at the face. The current research was conducted to determine how the sprays and scrubber interact to reduce methane levels, and what spray configurations provide the best face ventilation when used with a scrubber. Testing was conducted in a ventilation test gallery designed to simulate a full-scale mine entry. In the entry, a model mining machine, equipped with a simulated dust scrubber and water spray systems, was located at the face of a 6.1 m (20 ft) box cut. Face ventilation was provided by a blowing curtain located 12.2 m (40 ft) from the face. Methane released from a manifold at the face was measured at six locations near the face to compare the ventilation effectiveness of the spray systems while operating with and without the scrubber. Airflow movement across the face was affected by the spray configuration and scrubber operation. Average face concentrations were lowest when directed sprays were used with the scrubber. Varying the direction of the scrubber exhaust affected face methane levels.

By C. E. Hennig

On January 1, 1959, the United States had 313 petroleum refineries with a total installed crude-oil throughput capacity of 9,819,846 barrels per day, according to the Bureau of Mines annual survey. Compared with a year ago, this represents a net decreased of five in the number of slants mild a net increase in capacity of 412,139 barrels per day. The continued increase in total capacity and decrease in number of plants raised the average capacity of a refinery to a new high of 31,373 barrels per day. During 1958 total capacity increased in every refining district except the Louisiana Gulf district, which showed a 2-percent decrease due mainly to the retirement of the American Oil Company's plant at Destrehan, La. The largest increase, 14 percent, occurred in the Texas Inland district followed by a 12-percent increase in the Arkansas-Louisiana Inland district. At the beginning of 1959 the industry was building facilities that would add 108,400 barrels per day to crude-oil capacity. It also had under construction a capacity of 226,100 barrels per day as replacement. On January 1, 1959, no new refineries were under construction.

Jan 1, 1959

By John H. Johnson

This report covers research which is directed toward the measurement and control of underground mine diesel emissions. The report consists of three separate reports presented as Sections 1, 2, and 3. Section 1 "Emissions Measurement Apparatus" (EMA 1) discusses the selection and evaluation of instruments and procedures to be used as part of a diesel tailpipe emissions dilution and measurement apparatus. The instruments selected for gaseous pollutants are the Energetics Science Inc.* E.S.I.) 2000 for CO, the E.S.I. 7000 for NO and N02, and the Fuji ZFP5 for C02. Particulate matter is presently measured with the Celesco 1013 Smoke Opacity Meter. The raw exhaust concentration of one of these constituents is used Lo calculate the dilution ratio. Either a modified high range E.S.I. 2000 CO instrument or a Daco Products Cobra C02 instrument can be used, but neither is totally satisfactory. The study also indicated that it may he possible to increase the sample collection time from 15 seconds to the total 30 seconds over which the engine can be loaded without increasing the probability of damaging the vehicle hydraulic systems. Section 2 "The Effect of Fuels, Catalysts and a Filter Trap on Drift Pollutant Concentrations" discusses research in the Mine Air Quality Laboratory. A Wagner ST5D LHD with a Deutz F8L714 engine was used to compare three exhaust aftertreatment devices and a muffler-only system. The effect of these four systems on CO, C02, NO and N02 and on total, soluble, sulfate, and solid particulate matter was measured in the drift and on the LHD. The filter trap successfully reduced particulate matter for both fuels without significantly increasing the concentrations of any of the other constituents. The PTX catalyst was effective in reducing CO, and soluble particulate, but significantly increased N02 and solid and sulfate particulate matter. The Oxy Cat catalyst tested didn't seem to he working on the gases, and it significantly increased sulfate, soluble arid solid particulate concentrations. Section 3 "Diesel/Coal Particulate Matter Characterization by Laser Raman Spectroscopy" covers basic research on a method for determining the percentage by weight of diesel particulate on a filter containing a diesel-coal mixture. Signal-averaged Raman spectra provide the necessary precision. The method developed is non-destructive and uses as-received filters requiring no sample manipulation. Particulate with diesel contents in the range of 10 to 50% by weight have been analyzed with accuracies better than 6%t of the mean value. A number of samples containing diesel-coal mixtures were characterized by the procedures developed and the results are analyzed in light of various spectral and other system variables including coal rank and form and diesel engine operating conditions.

Jan 1, 1982

By R. L. Blake

The crystal structure of hematite, a-Fe203, has been refined as part of a continuing study of the behavior of phases in the Fe-O system during reduction and oxidation. Three-dimensional diffraction intensities were collected on two spherical single crystals of hematite with a semiautomated Buerger single-crystal diffractometer. The first crystal refined was a natural Elba hematite with minor impurities. The other, a synthetic crystal, was refined at the request of Mossbauer spectroscopy investigators concerned with impurities in the natural crystal. The structure has been refined with a least-squares program and the final structure for the natural crystal irradiated with CuKa-radiation gave a discrepancy factor (R) of 3.65 percent using 49 unrejected reflections of the 51 measured. For the synthetic crystal, using MoKa-radiation, the discrepancy factor converged to 2.8 percent using 95 unrejected reflections and was 3.3 percent for all 109 reflections. The structure model of Pauling and Hendricks has been confirmed with essentially no change in the iron coordinates and approximately a 5-percent change in the oxygen coordinates. Selected interatomic distances and angles were calculated as were anisotropic temperature factors.

Jan 1, 1970

By James M. Link

A program was initiated tinder sponsorship of the U. S. Bureau of Mines to investigate pipeline behavior of raw and spent oil shale slurries. Slurries were recirculated in pipeline loops with 150-mm and 200-mm diameter horizontal test sections and a 150 -mm diameter vertical test section. Slurry concentrations from 10 to 60 weight percent were investigated. Critical and deposition velocities were observed. Head losses were measured at various velocities. Rheology measurements were made on representative homogeneous samples from the pipeline. From these data, pipeline energy requirements were predicted by computer and compared to pipeline data. Computer programs were also used to analyze pipeline data for two flow models: 1. Heterogeneous flow regime for coarse, settling slurries 2. Homogeneous flow regime for nonsettling suspensions The economics of slurry transport of raw and spent shale were examined. Cost estimates encompassed a range of pipe diameters to transport a wide range of throughputs of both raw and spent shale. Similar estimates were made for conveyor belt systems to provide a valid cost comparison. Economic comparisons are valid in a general sense, but a specific study must be made to determine the cost advantages of hydraulic transport for a given mine.

Jan 1, 1977

By Davis E. Traut

TiC14, AIC13, and VC14 were coreduced simultaneously via a Kroll-type magnesium reduction to form an alloy sponge as part of a research effort by the Bureau of Mines to produce titanium alloy powder. Reduction tem-peratures of 750°, 850°, and 950° C, a range of chloride feed rates from 34 to 152 Ib/(ft2·h), and crucible diameters of 7-3/4 and 10-1/4 in were tested. Microprobe analyses using a 40-um-diam spot showed no effect on alloy microhomogeneity (distribution of Al and V in the Ti, considered critical as a powder property), due to changes in process variables within these ranges. Statistical analysis of these data for alloy sponge indicated greater variation in the chemical composition (AI and V) than that found in commercial Ti-6Al-4V plate or Plasma Rotating Electrode Process (PREP) powder. Therefore, a one-step approach to pow-der, such as grinding the Ti alloy sponge, would not produce a powder product of acceptable chemical homogeneity. An approach that homoge-nized the sponge, such as with a melting step, would produce an accept-able powder product with respect to chemical homogeneity.

Jan 1, 1987

By H. R. Shell

The work on synthetic mica and related subjects is being reported in a series of technical articles (see Supplementary Bibliography), each of which describes some special aspect of the subject. This is the final report on chemical analysis of the fluoride-containing silicates. A condensation of this report has been published (26).3/ Chemical analysis affords one of the best means of ascertaining the final com-position of either a heterogeneous mass or a single pure crystal, particularly where some constituents may be volatile. The analysis of fluoride-containing silicates was not so well known or understood that highly accurate results were commonplace. For example, on synthetic mica a university laboratory reported 11.6 and 9.2 percent fluoride when at least 13.3 and 11.3 percent were present, respectively; a commercial testing laboratory reported 9.14 percent as compared to 12.6 percent; and a glass company reported 7.0 percent as compared to 9.0 percent present. No intimation is made that these analysts could not have done better, but the point to be stressed is that the methods in use were long, tedious, and generally required a certain familiarity for best results.

Jan 1, 1956

By Arden D. Fugate

This work was conducted to determine a feasible process for converting siliceous fluoride offgases to a commercially usable product. The offgases were generated by pyrohydrolytic defluorination of low-grade fluorspar in a gas-fired rotary kiln, and fluorine was collected as a hydrofluoric-fluosilicic acid. A silicon-free fluoride solution for further processing was then produced by neutralizing the acidic scrubber solution with anhydrous ammonia, silicon being separated as orthosilicic acid. Ninety to ninety-nine percent of the fluorine originally present remained in solution as ammonium fluoride. Silicon was also separated from synthetic fluosilicic acids, having F-to-Si weight ratios ranging from 3.50 to 14.3. The solutions below a ratio of 4.06, the F-to-Si ratio of H2SiF6, containing dissolved silicon were desiliconized as completely as those containing less than the stoichiometric quantity of silicon. An electrolytic-grade cryolite was recovered from the ammonium fluoride solution by reacting with either sodium aluminate or alumina trihydrate and sodium hydroxide. A product containing 97 to 100 percent of the fluorine, represented by Na3A1F6, was recovered, and 94 to 99 percent of the theoretical yield was realized.

Jan 1, 1963

By G. K. Derby

The Bureau of Mines investigated methods for removing dragline bucket wire rope terminations with the objective of finding efficient methods that are safer than the method most commonly used at U.S. surface mines, which is to use the explosive impact of a projectile fired from a cannon to remove the rope termination. Removal of a wire rope termination for repair or replacement requires separation of the wedge and socket that lock together to secure the rope end. The Bureau investigated currently used methods and improved upon and tested two safer alternate methods for removing wire rope terminations. A cannon test program was conducted, using 40-and 50-gr primer (detonating) cord, to establish the possible force produced with a 4-in-bore cannon and a 55-lb projectile. Wedge and socket units supplied from cooperating mines were separated under controlled conditions to establish data on separation force requirements. The two alternate methods investigated were use of the force generated by (1) a pendulum ram and by (2) a portable hydraulic pusher. Both methods are capable of providing sufficient force to effect wedge and socket separations on draglines with up to 78-yd3 buckets under normal conditions.

Jan 1, 1984

By R. V. Lundquist

A method was developed by the Federal Bureau of Mines for evaluating viscosity data from slurries obtained in leaching sinters from the lime soda sinter process for extracting alumina from aluminous silicates. The logarithm of the viscosity was observed to be a linear function with time. The slope of the plotted line provides a means for evaluating viscosity behavior in a lime soda sinter blurry and also a means for comparing gelation characteristics directly with other variables in the lime soda sinter process. This report presents one aspect of a continuing study by the Bureau of Mines on methods for treating siliceous aluminum ores. It is one of the many programs of the Bureau concerned with conservation, development, and use of our domestic minerals resources. Previous investigations of lime soda processes, both by the Bureau4-7/ and industrial concerns, have demonstrated that sintered materials containing CaO, Na2O, A1203, and S102 in various combinations exhibit a tendency to gel or set when mixed with water or other extraction solutions. Gelling prevents satisfactory recovery of alumina and in extreme cases prevents operation of an extraction plant.

Jan 1, 1960

To develop a simple device for rapidly determining the shearing strength and angle of Internal friction of coal and rock in situ. Approach Use a portable, permissible, hydraulically operated device in boreholes as deep as 100 feet into the rib, floor, or roof of the mine. How it Works The device, called a Borehole Shear Strength Tester (BST), is inserted Into a 3-inch-diameter borehole to the desired depth, locked Into position, and activated to shear the rock or coal in the borehole walls. The normal and shear pressures exerted by the BST, which are recorded during the test, are used to calculate the shearing strength and the angle of internal friction. The BST consists of 3 main components and several minor components. Main components are: ? A shear head with 2 shear plates that bite into the rock when normal pressure is applied. ? A hollow hydraulic jack with RW drill rods that pull the shear head when shear pressure is applied. ? A console with a hand pump and two hydraulic gages to activate the device and to indicate the pressures that apply the normal and shear faces to the shearing plates.

Jan 1, 1981

By Russell R. McLellan

As part of an effort to develop new or improved placer mining technology in the Tertiary gold-bearing channel gravel of northern California, the Bureau of Mines conducted investigations at the old Badger Hill placer mine in Nevada County, Calif., to collect data and information regarding drilling and sampling methods and deposit characteristics. Sampling studies involved the collection and processing of 400 tons of large-and small-volume samples from drill holes, underground workings, surface pits, and blasthole rounds. A total of 355 samples averaging 2,296 pounds per sample provided reasonably accurate data for analysis of the gold distribution. These studies indicated that the bulk of the gold is within 40 feet of bedrock in stacked, lenticular zones of cemented gravel that are largely confined to the relatively narrow, meandering course of the deepest portion of the bedrock channel. Drilling studies involved the testing of truck-mounted rotary, buckett and vibratory drills, none of which proved to be a completely versatile tool for sampling quickly and reliably both consolidated and unconsolidated gravel..

Jan 1, 1974

By Stephen R. Iverson

Manganese deposits exist in the Wonder Mountain RARE II area (fig. 1). The manganese mineral is primarily bementite, a silicate. It occurs with Jasper and manganese oxides in tabular or irregular lenses along the contact between red limestone and basalt. There are about 11,000 tons (10,000 t) of indicated sub-economic resources in the northeast part of the study area. Of this, 10,700 tons containing 27.1 percent manganese is at the Apex Prospect and 300 tons averaging 24.8 percent is at the Brown Mule Mine (fig. 1). Another 1,000 tons (900 t) containing 27.0 percent manganese is at the Steel Creek deposit 0.5 mi (0.8 km) west of the area (Wiebelt, 1942, p. 1, 2). Each of these deposits is subeconomic due to small tonnage and high estimated recovery costs. They are in a regional belt of manganese occurrences trending northwesterly through the area. Pardee (1921) reports that manganese ore was shipped from the Triple Trip (Brown Mule) Mine in 1916.

Jan 1, 1982

By Karl R. Becker

A variety of commercial detonators (fuse type and electric instantaneous and delay types) were subjected to impact and thermal stimuli to determine initiation stimulus levels and the dominant parameters in resistance to initiation. In the impact trials the detonators were impacted along their length to find the most sensitive region; threshold initiation limits obtained for these regions ranged from 3.47 to 20.82 joules (2.6 to 15.4 ft-lb). The friction sensitivity of the explosive component was an important parameter in determining sensitivity; various construction features of nonexplosive components played a role as well. In the thermal sensitivity trials, the detonators were heated from ambient to 100° C at an average rate of about 1.0° C/min, and thereafter at 0.5° C/min until they exploded; the explosion temperatures observed ranged from 121° to 188° C. These temperatures correlated quite well with the reaction temperatures of certain characteristic explosive components used by different manufacturers. The data also indicated an effect of confinement on explosion temperatures of detonators.

Jan 1, 1975

By Eric R. Bauer

The U.S. Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with a southwestern Pennsylvania coal mining company, BethEnergy Inc., Mine No. 60, Eighty-Four, PA, recently assessed the feasibility of using pre driven recovery rooms (open entry recovery) when longwall mining to increase the productivity of the coal extraction process. Two recovery entries, one 200 ft long and another 600 ft long, were supplementally supported with bolts, channels, and wire mesh, and either fly ash-cement piers or fiber cribs, then mined into by the longwall face. The recovery entries showed little deterioration as the supports provided adequate resistance to the front abutment loading. Compared with conventional recovery methods, the fullface recovery room allowed for panel extraction to be completed nearly 17 days faster and to reduce face equipment move time by 1-1/2 days. The potential productivity increase accompanying recovery rooms is greater than the cost of supporting a fullface recovery room. The fullface recovery room provided over 18 additional production days and the opportunity to mine nearly 68,400 st of coal per year per panel mined.

Jan 1, 1989

By T. R. Achenbach

1. This, the final report to the U. S. Bureau of Mines on the program with the subject title, presents the data obtained from June 29, 1973, to April 20, 1974. 2. Operating in the Illinois #6 coal seam, the effectiveness of foam opposed to water was compared in reducing respirable coal dust. A combination of 39 foam generators and 14 water sprays were used during the foam tests. Sixty one water sprays were operated during the water tests. Data from 24 shifts using foam and 21 shifts using water are presented. 3. Additional work on foam generator design should be undertaken to provide coverage to a wider area with foam. 4. The general attitude of those working on the foam program and with the miner at the face was positive. It is urged that the work be continued. 5. The minor respiratory irritations evidently caused by an aerosol effect of the surfactant should be investigated. 6. The statistical analysis of the tests will be made and reported by the U. S. Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1974

By Sidney Katell

Continuing the series of cost bibliographies which was initiated with the publication of Information Circular 7516 in October 1949, the present report covers the period from January 1959 through December 1959. The abstracted articles, concerned with all facets of cost engineering in the field of petroleum and chemical plants and related facilities, were obtained from the following sources: 1. Bureau of Mines Information Circulars. 2. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations. 3. Chemical Engineering. 4. Chemical Engineering Progress. 5. Chemical Week. 6. Coal Age. 7. Coal Utilization. 8. Cost Engineering. 9. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 10. Nucleonics. 11. Oil and Gas Journal. 12. Petroleum Engineering. 13. Petroleum Refiner. 14. World Oil. On Oct. 16, 1959 a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Mines and the American Association of Cost Engineers became effective. This agreement provides for the publication of the annual bibliography under the sponsorship of both groups with the work load involved in the preparation divided equally between the two. As a result, the present report partially reflects the efforts of the members of the Association.

Jan 1, 1960

By J. Bender

The objective of this research was to (1) Further develop cyanobacteria mats' for metal-tolerance and cold-tolerance, (2) test them for durability in the field environment and (3) assess them for metal sequestering potential with actual and simulated field samples. Results show that mats performed well In the field and effectively sequestered metals from actual and simulated field samples. Metal uptake from Iron Mountain Hine samples was for Ins 87%, Cu and Cd 99%, Initial concentrations (mg/L) were Zn = 3,250, Cu , 279, Cd = 28. In solutions simulating the Gulf Tunnel drainage, Zn and Mn were effectively removed by mats immobilized on glass wool. Effluent water, after treatment, generally had a Ph of 7 .5-8.5. Al though the final metal concentrations in the mats 'harvested from the decontaminated water were only 1% or less, the actual mechanism of metal deposit was probably a mat-mediated alteration of the environmental conditions causing the metals to deposit outside the mat as oxides or carbonates. Bioflocculents, released by the mats, were likely involved in the metal-removal process.

Jan 1, 1996

By A. J. Williams, R. B. Corbett

"INTRODUCTION This investigation was undertaken to obtain information concerning the effects of boron in steel and its method of addition, so that boron, which is readily obtainable domestically, may be used to relieve the great demand for those scarce, strategic, alloying elements that hitherto have been considered necessary for the successful manufacture of quality steel.Previous Work Guillet 4/ seems to have been the first to predict that boron-bearing steel might have a possible industrial use when, in 1907, he published results of an investigation into the properties of steel containing 0.21 to 1.51 percent boron.Possibly Walter 2/ was the first to appreciate the fact that extremely small percentages of boron are effective in improving the properties of a steel. His patent, issued in 1924 claimed steels containing boron within the limits of 0.001 to 0.100 percent; furthermore, the specifications disclosed that boron increased the hardenability of steel and refined its grain structure. In 1937, Naton and Piwowarsky 6/ otherwise observed that boron increased the hardenablity of steel."

Jun 1, 1945

The evident need to improve the reliability of fluid power systems in underground coal mining equipment prompted the U.S. Bureau of Mines, and later the Department of Energy, to contract with the Fluid Power Research Center at Oklahoma State University for a research project to develop methods for achieving this end. Since the work of the contract was completed at about the time DOE was relinquishing its underground coal mining projects to BOM it was decided to issue the final report under 80M cover. The contract revealed that the major causes of poor reliability were: (1) poor overall system design, (2) poor component contamination toleranace, (3) poor system filtration, and 4) poor maintenance practices stemming from a lack of defined maintenance procedures and enforcement of same. This report demonstrates the variability of the reliabilities of components of similar performance description when subjected to standard tests. Improved design procedures are recommended and the information needed to specify and select components whose reliability is predictable and optimum without sacrifice in performance or significant increase in envelope size.

Jan 1, 1983