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By J. G. Kirby

The number of petroleum refineries in the United States continued to decline during 1954, and according to the Bureau of Mines annual survey there were 326 refineries with a total daily throughput capacity of 8,420,630 barrels, as of January 1, 1955. The increase in capacity for the year was 413,733 barrels daily, while the number of refineries declined 11. The capacity of the average refinery to process crude oil increased during 1954 from 23,759 barrels daily to 25,830. Breaking down the crude-oil capacity increase, by refining districts; 32 percent was installed at refin¬eries located in the Texas Gulf Coast district, 25 percent in the East Coast district, and 13 percent in both the Louisiana Gulf Coast and the California districts. The Appalachian No. 1, Texas Inland, and New Mexico refining districts reported declines in capacity during the year. Additional crude-oil capacity under construction, January 1, 1955, totaled 146,800 barrels daily. Included in this total are 4 new refineries, 1 each in California, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Washington. In addition to the' new facilities, equipment producing 1.49,550 barrels daily is being replaced.

Jan 1, 1955

By C. M. Mason

The methods currently used by the Bureau of Mines to evaluate the sensitivity, strength, incendivity, gaseous products, and physical properties of explosives and hazardous chemicals are described. Included are the tests used to evaluate explosives which arc certified as permissible for use in underground coal mines.

Jan 1, 1972

By D. A. Reynolds

Yields of ammonium sulfate obtained in the carbonization of coal frequently vary from plant to plant, because ammonia is an unstable compound at high temperatures and therefore sensitive, to changes in carbonizing conditions. Differences in byproduct yields of ammonium sulfate obtained at different plants generally are accounted for by variations in plant procedure, either in preparing the coal or in its carbonization. However, technicians of one large corporation,- which frequently obtained higher yields of ammonium sulfate in its Alabama plants than ever were attained in its Ohio plants, "could not reconcile the differences in yields with their plant operations. These investigators suspected that the Alabama, coal used in their southern plant yielded more ammonia because its composition differed inherently from that of the Pennsylvania and West Virginia coals fused in their Ohio plants, although this concept could not be proved readily in their large-scale operations. Their view is supported by experimental data obtained A Beau of Mines-American Gas Association (BM-AGA) carbonization tests) -21 of a large number of coals including those carbonized commercially in Alabama and Ohio.

Jan 1, 1949

By R. D. Wilson

Ten to twelve million tons of dust is produced by cement kilns annu-ally in the United States, resulting in a serious waste disposal problem. The Bureau of Mines investigated two alkali volatilization methods for converting this dust into materials for making portland cement and a useful potassium product. Portland cement kiln dust was found to be composed of finely ground cement raw materials (CaC03 and 8i02) having a layer of alkali sulfate (K2S04 and Na2S04). In this form, it cannot be directly recycled to cement kilns because concrete is weakened by a reaction between the alkali and the aggregate. Portland cements with 28-day strengths above 5,000 psi were produced from low-alkali residues using sintering and melting methods. For nearly complete removal of alkalies, primarily potassium sulfate, from cement kiln dust, a temperature above 1,300° C and a reducing atmosphere were required.

Jan 1, 1986

By N. E. Hanna

As part of a program for improving, the safety of permissible explosives, the Federal Bureau of Mines has undertaken an investigation to establish the ability of sodium chloride to reduce the incendivity of permissible explosives to firedamp atmospheres. A motivating influence for this investigation has been the comparatively extensive experience of British and other European investigators, who used sodium chloride as a component of their permitted explosives (1, 5, 6 7).5/ In the United States research and development work of this type has been less extensive, although sodium chloride has been added to permissible explosives as a cooling agent (9) for many years. The results of the first phase of this investigation were presented in a previous paper (8), which established that adding up to 10 percent sodium chloride to permissible explosives reduces the likelihood of ignition of firedamp in the gallery test; however, the results were somewhat inconsistent, and the conclusions were qualified. Accordingly, the investigation was continued with a study of the effect of added sodium chloride as a function of the quantity added and of the particle size of the salt.

Jan 1, 1960

By Jr. Blake

This work was done to determine the technical feasibility of using the Pedersen process to produce cell-grade alumina and an iron byproduct from the high-silica and titania bauxites of the Pacific Northwest. Smelting of these bauxites with lime and coke at about 1,750° C in an electric arc furnace produced calcium aluminate slags in which at least 80 percent of the alumina was leachable by sodium carbonate solution. After a lime-desilication of the sodium aluminate leach liquors, neutralization of these solutions with carbon dioxide resulted in precipitation of an alumina hydrate of sufficient purity for calcination to cell-grade alumina. Recoveries of byproduct iron averaged over 90 percent; however, the iron contained about 1 percent phosphorous and would require additional refining. Additional small scale tests on these slags showed the following: (1) Titania had little effect on leachability if sufficient additional lime was added to form calcium titanate (CaO.TiO 2); (2) a slag containing about 14 percent silica required a slower cooling rate than one containing 7 percent silica for formation of high percentages of soluble aluminates; and (3) high-silica slags leached better at room temperature for long periods than at 65° C for shorter periods, but low-silica slags leached well by either method.

Jan 1, 1967

By R. R. Lowery

The Bureau of Mines developed hypereutectic aluminum-silicon alloys which 11.7.d better mechanical properties than the unmodified hypereutectic alloy. A commercial aluminum-20 weight-percent silicon LIr alloy was selected as a ary base for improvement. The primary silicon. grains were reduced from ASTM 4-5 to ASTM 8.5 by the use of phosphorus and phosphorus compounds. The remaining eutectic matrix was refined by sodium metal additions of 0.2 weight-percent. Solid solution strengthening of the alpha aluminum was obtained by adding 2 percent copper and 0.5 percent magnesium. Also, 1 percent nickel was added to harden the alloy. Optimum thermal treatment consisted of a solution treatment for 10 hour:, at 480° C with hot water quench, followed by aging for 6 hours at 175° C. The final alloy exhibited a Rockwell B hardness of 75 ±2 in the heat-treated condition. The ultimate tensile strength was 39,5O0 psi with no recordable elongation. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion was 20.4 x 10-6 per °C in the temperature range 20° to 300° C. No wear resistance data were collected.

Jan 1, 1966

By E. C. Lane

This paper is the first part of a report giving the results of the Bureau of Mines' twenty-third semiannual survey of motor gasoline marketed in the United States. A companion report, Part II, is in preparation and will give a more detailed discussion of the whole survey. Results of the determination of copper-strip corrosion, color, sulphur content, copper-dish evaporation residue, and gum content as given by the Bureau of Mines steam-oven method will be presented in the second paper, which will also include the prevailing retail price and the tax at the time the sample was taken. This paper deals specifically with data relative to gravity, Reid vapor pressure,5 and distillation (method 100.13).6 The samples tested were divided into "competitive-price gasolines" and "premium-price motor fuels," a method of presentation that was begun with the twenty-second semiannual survey.7 A total of 312 samples were collected from service station pumps in 20 cities throughout the United States. Of this number of samples, 207 were "competitive-price gasolines" and 105 were "premium-price motor fuels." All of the samples were collected in March, 1931, and analyzed at the Petroleum Experiment Station of the United States Bureau of Miner at Bartlesville, Okla.

Jan 1, 1931

By Lincoln A. Stewart, P. S. Haury

"INTRODUCTION AND RESUME Arizona asbestos mines are the only sources on the American continents of iron-free chrysotile spinning fiber that meets the Navy specifications for asbestos fiber for use in covering electrical cables. Rhodesia normally supplies the bulk of this grade of asbestos at about half the Price of Ari zona spinning fiber. The acute submarine menace in 1942 focused attention on the danger that imports might be cut off and that a sudden demand for greatly expanded production might fall on the Arizona mines to supply the tonnage of this essential material needed for war production.A joint preliminary investigation of Arizona asbestos deposits was made in August 1941 by J. R. Thoenen, senior mining engineer of the Bureau of Mines and A. E. Granger, a geologist of the United States Geological Survey. A more extended investigation of the numerous asbestos mines and prospects, which are scattered over 25 townships of difficult terrain in Gila County, was begun by the senior author in August 1942.The Geological Survey assigned two geologists (Newton Chute and A. F. Shride) a few weeks later to study the geology as an aid in selecting the mines for the Bureau's exploration projects. Six mines were selected for exploratory work because it was desired to prove reserves of ore where production could be started quickly if urgent demand should arise. Acceleration of production is normally slow because of adverse operating conditions. First, the mines are at distances of 35 to 100 miles from Globe, the shipping and supply point, and the roads are few and poor. The mine openings start in steep canyon walls, so that mining supplies usually have to be packed in and the product packed out over 0.5 to 5 miles of burro trail. Second, most of the ore deposits are small, and the ratio of rock broken to spinning fiber recovered is very high, usually exceeding 200."

Aug 1, 1947

"Qatar, crude petroleum, production, annualdata MY 1949-51Quality mine, Ark., coal, carbonizing properties TP 667washabilty study RI 496N. Dak., lignite, grindabilty as function ofmoisture, tests, results RI 5167"

Jan 1, 1960

By J. W. Sterner

The Bureau of Mines conducted studies on four makes of Japanese automobiles, three 1981 and one 1982 model years, received from three manufacturers to determine if their materials composition would present problems to the current technology used to process junk automobiles for metal recovery. One of each make of automobile was hand-dismantled to determine the materials composition. In addition, two nearly identical automobiles of each make were shredded at a commercial operation where all metal products and rejects were collected for analysis to determine metal and nonmetal distribution. The average weight of the four automobiles to be dismantled, less batteries, tools, and fluids, was 1,938.3 lb. The weight was distributed as 1,472.9 lb. ferrous and 115.6 lb nonferrous metals, 275.2 lb combustibles, 72.3 lb noncombustibles, and 2.3 lb electrical components. The dismantled automobiles, less gas tanks, fluids, tools, wheels, tires, and batteries, which were all removed from the automobiles that were shredded, contained an average of 1,389.1 lb ferrous and 101.6 lb nonferrous metals, 305.7 lb nonmetals, and 2.3 lb electrical components. In comparison, materials collected from the shredded automobiles averaged 1,304 lb ferrous metals, 80 lb nonferrous metals, and 341 lb landfill materials. There were no materials used in the manufacture of the late model Japanese automobiles that should present handling or processing problems to the steelmaking or secondary metal recyclers.

Jan 1, 1984

By W. L. Hunter

This report describes results of beneficiation and smelting studies conducted by the Federal Bureau of Mines on chromite samples from the Emma Belle and Seiad Creek prospects in the Seiad Creek area, northern California. Samples were chosen from this area because the ore is typical of disseminated types that represent a sizable domestic reserve. The two samples were similar in composition, and both responded in like manner to gravity beneficiation. As the ore was banded, considerable coarse gangue was rejected in laboratory sink-float from a minus-3/4-inch, plus-6-mesh fraction without excessive chromium loss at a medium density of 3.32. An average of 85.6 percent of the chromium was recovered in the sink product, which analyzed 35 percent chromic oxide (Cr203). Tabling yielded concentrates containing 49 percent or more Cr203; however, recoveries, ranged from only 33 to 45 percent. A combination of tabling and electrostatic separation of the table middlings showed that the chromium recovery could be increased to about 73 percent; the composite concentrate averaged 53 percent Cr203.

Jan 1, 1960

By A. Brown

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

Jan 1, 1977

By Martin H. Stanczyk

The Bureau of Mines studied continuous closed-circuit attrition grinding of a coarse commercial filler-grade kaolin to produce paper-coating-grade clay having a particle size analysis of at least 70 percent minus 2-micron equivalent spherical diameter (esd). The coarse clay, containing about 12 percent minus 2-micron-esd material, was ground in a Bureau-developed 10-inch-diameter attrition grinder in closed circuit with a 5-foot-diameter bowl classifier. In the best test, a finished product containing 82.7 percent minus 2-micron-esd material was obtained when grinding 20 pounds of raw clay per hour at percent solids with a 100-percent circulating load. Energy consumption was about 341 kilowatt-hours per ton of clay feed, or 487 kilowatt-hours per ton of minus 2-micron-esd material produced. Closed-circuit grinding gave some-what greater particle size reduction and lower energy consumption than either batch or continuous open-circuit grinding.

Jan 1, 1965

By Richard A. Dick

In this report commercial blasting compounds are classified according to their nitroglycerin (or equivalent explosive oil) and ammonium nitrate content as dynamites, gelatins, blasting agents, military explosives, and blasting , accessories. The ingredients and more significant properties of each explosive are tabulated and briefly discussed. Data are summarized from various handbooks, textbooks, and manufacturers' technical data sheets, together with the author's personal experience; however, this report is not intended to be a technical handbook, since it does not deal with blasting techniques. Instead, it seeks to acquaint the reader with the great variety of explosives, available, their advantages and disadvantages, and their general areas of application. Properties discussed are weight strength, cartridge strength, detonation velocity, density, detonation pressure, water resistance, and fume class. The weakness of the strength rating system and the importance of detonation pres- , sure, density, and detonation velocity in rating explosives are discussed. The terms "blasting agent" and "slurry," which are often misused, are defined. Trends indicate that blasting agents (that is, blasting mixtures with none of of the ingredients singly classified as an explosive), particularly high-density slurry blasting agents, will dominate the explosives field in the future.

Jan 1, 1968

By Richard D. Miller

This publication contains routine analyses and related source data for 350 natural gas samples from 19 States collected during calendar year 1962 as part of a continuous survey of the United States for occurrences of helium in natural gas. This survey has been conducted by the Helium Activity of the Bureau of Mines since 1917. The analyses published herein were made by mass spectrometer and a special helium analysis apparatus. Four previous publications have been made to present the results of 5,648 gas analyses made by the Bureau of Mines, Helium Activity, prior to 1962. The first, Bulletin 486, 3/ contains analyses and data on 2,195 gas samples collected during the period 1917-47. Bulletin 576, 4/ the second publication, includes data and analyses for 1,575 samples collected from 1947 through May 1956. The third bulletin 5/ contains 1,444 analyses and source data of samples obtained from May 1956 to January 1, 1961.

Jan 1, 1964

By D. L. Forrester

This paper, describing the milling practice of the Old Dominion Co., is one of a series being prepared by the: United Staten Bureau of Mines. ACKNOWLEDGMENT In the preparation f this paper, acknowledgment is made of the valuable service rendered by R. S. Allen, metallurgist of the Old Dominion Co. T. G. Chapman, one f the consulting engineers of the Bureau of Mines, assisted in arranging the paper for publication.

Jan 1, 1931

By Bertrand L. Johnson

Pure talc is a hydrous magnesium silicate (Mg3Si4010(OH)2). Pyrophyllite, although it resemble: talc in certain physical properties and uses, is a hydrous aluminum silicate (Al2Si4010(OH)2) - like kaolin, except that kaolin has a somewhat different composition (Al2Si205(OH)4) and structure. Soapstone can be considered essentially an impure talc grid when pulverized is used for many of the same purposes as talc. Massive, compact varieties of talc often are called steatite. PROPERTIES Talc and pyrophyllite are characterizes; by their softness (hardness on Mohs' scale, 1) their greasy feel, pearly luster, white color, and perfect basal cleavage. They have similar crystal structures, and this similarity explains the close resemblance of the two minerals in physical acid chemical properties. Talc is a good electrical insulator, resists the action of most acids and alkalies, and has an exceptional heat-retaining capacity. Its specific gravity is about 2.7.

Jan 1, 1939

By Harold M. Smith

[Important discoveries of new oil fields were made in 1937 in the State of Illinois. Oil production, which was virtually constant during 1934, 1935, and 1936 at about 4,400,000 barrels a year, a increased to 7,499,000, barrels during 1937, and in 1938 this production was trebled. In 1939, 94,302,0003/ barrels were produced (almost foot times the 1938 quantity), making Illinois one of the cost important oil-producing areas in the United States. The Bureau of Mines has analyzed 35 samples of petroleum from these new Illinois fields and presents the analyses herein. Included with them in this report are analyses of seven samples from fields developed before 1936.]

Jan 1, 1940

By H. W. Kilau

The Bureau of Mines tested chromium-bearing waste slags from industrial stainless steel and other chrome alloy operations to determine their chromium leachability characteristics under acid precipitation conditions and to devise measures to prevent any pollution originating from this source. Two critical slag composition factors were found to control the chromium leachability: (1) CaO:Si02 ratio and (2) magnesium content. Above a 2.0 CaO:Si02 ratio, chromium exists in slag as CaO·Cr203, which can be vulnerable to leaching by acid precipitation especially if oxi-dized to CaCr04 when exposed to the environment over an extended period. Maximum chromium leachability from industrial slags occurred when the composition of the slag had about a 2.0 CaO:Si02 ratio. Between a 1.0 and 2.0 CaO:Si02 ratio, in the presence of sufficient magnesium, MgO ·Cr203 was formed, which is very resistant to oxidation and to dissolution by simulated acid precipitation. Addition of magnesium silicates to molten slag to fix the chromium in the MgO·Cr203 form was successful in preventing chromium leaching in simulated acid rain solutions. Experiments showed olivine and waste taconite tailings were suitable for this purpose. Olivine addition to a waste slag having a composition vulnerable to leaching (CaO:Si02 > 2) reduced the chromium leachability more than 80 pct.

Jan 1, 1984