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By Lindsly. Ben E.

"The recovery or partial recovery of the oil remaining in oil sands after the usual methods of production have become unprofitable is perhaps the greatest problem in the petroleum industry today. The amount of this oil remaining in the sand is variously estimated by those familiar with the subject to be 25 to 90 per cent of the original content.2Lewis3 states, ""The estimate of 80 to 90 per cent of the oil left underground does not seem incredible.""It is estimated by the writer that approximately 91 per cent of the oil originally held in the Elliott pool, was still in the formation on January 1, 1924, and that it would take at least 12 years, at the 1923 rate of production, to further reduce this quantity by one per cent of the original content.The progress made in the oil industry during the past few years relative to the prevention of evaporation losses; to improvement in cracking processes, whereby the gasoline yield from many crudes has been doubled and trebled; to the increased recovery of gasoline from natural gas; and many other developments, remarkable as they are, can be applied only to that comparatively small portion of petroleum products which are raised to the surface. A device or process which would cut development costs to one-half would probably result in a much smaller profit to the oil industry, than the profit derived from an additional 10 per cent recovery of the total amount of oil in a pool. Various methods have been used and many others proposed, for the increase of oil recovery from normally depleted sands.In France, oil sands are being mined by means of shafts and galleries. In other places, notably the Bradford, Pennsylvania field, the yield has been increased by means of water flooding, wherein water is introduced into the sand to displace oil, and drive it to producing wells."

Oct 1, 1926

By W. L. Zeigler

This paper describing the milling practice of the Hecla Mining Co. is one of a series being prepared by the United States Bureau of Mines. The concentrator of the Hecla Mining Co., which utilizes combined gravity and flotation methods, is located at Gem, Shoshone County, Idaho, about 2 miles south of the Hecla mine at Burke. It has a maximum capacity of 900 tons per day and all ore treated is drawn from the company's Hecla mine. Milling ore for 1910 contained 9.7 per cent of lead, 1.2 per cent of zinc, and 4.77 ounces of silver per ton.

Jan 1, 1932

By Michael E. Henderson

The U.S. Bureau of Mines (BOM) constructed the Hydraulic Transport Research Facility (HTRF) to investigate the hydraulic parameters relating to the transport of coarse coal. To achieve these goals in a timely and efficient manner, the Bureau contracted to Boeing Services International (BSI) the responsibility of operating the HTRF and providing technical support. This data report is a summary of the testing and data results for the period 22 November to 10 December 1982. The testing covered herein is for coarse 2-in by 0 (minus 50 mm) Pittsburgh Seam coal in a 6-in (150 mm) pipeline, at velocities ranging from 5 to 20 ft/s (1.5 to 6.1 m/s) and at concentrations ranging from 15 to 45 pct by weight.

Jan 1, 1986

This summary of State laws on explosives wag compiled primarily to ascertain what subjects relating to their control have been acted upon by each State legislature and, in general, how they have been treated. It does not Include any legislation passed after 1942, or any proclamations, regulations, or administrative orders. It does not purport or attempt to be authoritative. If any problem arises involving interpretation of the statutes of any particular State, the original source must be consulted for the exact words used by the legislature. This summary, however, will be useful in determining whether relevant statutes exist, and in locating them quickly, with a minimum of effort. It will be of value also in comparing statutes in other States to determine what construction has been placed upon them by the courts of these jurisdictions or to contrast the varying provisions of many States upon a similar subject. To make these comparisons easier, the statutory provisions for each State have been grouped under several major topics in outline form. Although this sometimes has resulted in disruption of the continuity of individual acts, the increased general clarity and availability of comparable sections have more than justified the procedure followed.

Jan 1, 1943

By James Westfield

Following is a resume of activities of the Division of Coal-Mine Inspection that have had a favorable effect on health, safety, and the reduction o1 injuries at coal mines: 1. The Federal Mine Safety Code for Bituminous Coal and Lignite Mines of the United States was issued originally by the Director of the Bureau of Mines July 24, 1946, after consultation with management and labor representatives of the coal-mining industry. The code has been used by Federal coal-mine inspectors while inspecting bituminous coal and lignite mines as a basis for determining the existence of unhealthful and unsafe conditions and practices in these mines. A revised code was issued by the Secretary of the Interior October 8, 1953, after further consultations with representatives of management and mine workers and was incorporated by reference in the 1952 and subsequent bituminous coal wage agreements. The agreement of May 29, 1946, between the Secretary of the Interior, acting as Coal Mines Administrator under authority of Executive Order 9728, and the United Mine Workers of America, covering bitumi¬nous coal and lignite mines in Government possession, charged Federal coal-mine inspectors with the responsibility of making periodic investigations of the mines and reporting to the Coal Mines Administrator any violations of the Federal Mine Safety Code. Federal coal-mine inspectors also had temporary authority to close mines found to be imminently dangerous, but such authority (under Executive Order 9728) was removed June 30, 1947, when Government control of the mines was terminated.

Jan 1, 1959

By G. E. McElroy

When mechanical ventilation is to supersede the natural ventilation of a mine it is desirable to determine what resistance the mine as a whole offers to the flow of air in order to specify properly the limiting duties of a ventilating fan. The relation of pressure to volume of flow for the mine as a whole may be calculated from experimental data, or it may be determined directly by measurements of volume of flow and the natural draft pressures causing flow; but in both methods the determinations are affected by many variables. With the intention of making a practical application of both methods, a small metal mine in process of development at Butte, Mont., was selected by the writers as the object of experiments planned to compare the mine resistances determined by measurements of natural draft and volume of flow with those calculated from experimental data. Four sets of teats were made with natural draft in October, 1925, December, 1925, April, .1926, and September to December, 1926; the last set consisted of a series of weekly observations. DESCRIPTION OF MINE The mine selected for the experiments was a typical vertical shaft metal mine in the development stage. No stoping had been done, and ventilation was confined to shafts, crosscuts, drifts, and raises. Figure 1 is a dia¬grammatic sketch of the main openings. All were timbered with full sets on approximately 5-foot centers. The shaft compartments were 4 by 4.5 feet, and one in each shaft was partly blocked by staggered manway landings. A pump column in the upcast shaft was discharging about 280 gallons a minute of water at 70° F. from the 1,000-foot level. The drifts were slightly sinuous, but the crosscuts were exceptionally straight and uniform in area; both drifts and crosscuts were about 5 by 7 feet in cross section. The raises were composed of vertical sections joined by frequent 450 offsets; each had three 4.5 by 4.5-foot compartments, of which two were plank-lined ore chutes and one was partly

Jan 1, 1928

By R. F. Kehrman

Voice Frequency (VF) electromagnetic trapped miner location devices were tested for reliability and effectiveness in 93 coal mines. Tests included uplink pulsed CW, downlink pulsed OW and downlink voice evaluations. Frequencies were 630, 1050, 1950 and 3030 Hertz. Overburden depths varied from 70 feet to 1550 feet. Successful communications were established at 91 of the 93 mines. Data indicate the transmitters and receivers will operate in practically all coal mine environments. Reliability and accuracy as location devices appear to depend on noise, depth and presence of metallic objects which distort the magnetic field. In addition, theoretical models appear to define best case situations in terms of noise and conductivity. Minor hardware problems were encountered, mostly involving battery contacts, switches and antenna cables on the receivers. No hardware problems occurred with the transmitters.

Jan 1, 1978

By C. W. Owings

Available literature published or abstracted in 1953 and 1954 relating to dust prevention and suppression has been summarized and reviewed in this report, and un-published information also is included to outline current practice for those interested in dust control in and around mines, tunnels, and quarries. More and more companies are realizing the value of controlling dust by incorporating suitable methods and devices in the planning stage. In preparation and crushing plants preliminary tests have been made of the fine materials to determine the best type of dust-control equipment to use, and the details of the quantities of air, the number of sprays, the dust-allaying fluids, and the location of hoods or enclosures have been determined in advance. Such planning has paid for itself in more effective control. Similar planning in a tunnel resulted in healthful conditions and low dust concentrations.

Jan 1, 1956

By W. I. Garms

This paper, describing the milling practices at the Hayden concentrator of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Co. is the first of a Series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on milling methods and costs in various districts of the United States. The Hayden concentrator is located at Hayden, Gila County, Ariz., 20 miles from the mine at Ray, Pinal County, Ariz., and approximately 1-1/2 miles north of the junction of the Gila and San Pedro Rivers. During the fourth quarter of 1928 the concentrator treated daily by flotation an average of 10,336 tons of ore containing 1.25 per cent of copper. The average recovery during this period amounted to 87.84 per cent of the total copper. The concentrates contained 19.88 per cent of copper.

Jan 1, 1930

By Robert W. Van Dolah

The prevention of fires and explosions involving the combustibles and oxidants likely to be found in flight vehicles requires a knowledge of the flammability and related characteristics of these materials. This circular is a compilation of the available charactersilics data for a series of combustibles and oxidants of current interest. Vapor pressure data are presented for fluorine, oxygen, chlorine trifluoride, nitrogen tetroxide, nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ethylene oxide, hydrogen, ammonia, pentaborane, unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, monomethylhydrazine, hydrazine, and a series of hydro-carbons including decalin, tetralin, bicyclohexyl and other high-density fuels. In addition, flammability characteristics diagrams are included for each of the fuels in contact with air and, where available, other oxidants (for example, oxygen and nitrogen tetroxide). To assist in understanding these data, sections on definitions and theory and applications have been included. Each section is complete in itself and can be used separately. For example, a reader who is familiar with the general theory of combustion and detonation may find the data sections more useful than the definitions and theory and the application sections. However, since pertinent data are included in these sections, they should also prove useful to the experienced engineer interested in preventing fires and explosions.

Jan 1, 1963

By W. W. Adams

This bulletin covers all mines in the United States that were operated in 1936 to produce metallic ores and all mines that were operated to produce nonmetallic minerals other than coal, stone, sand, gravel, or their products. Reports from mine operators revealed a better safety record for fatal accidents in 1936 than in any other year except 1934 during the 26 years for which annual surveys of accidents in the mineral industries of the United States have been conducted by the Bureau of Mines. On the other hand, the record for nonfatal injuries, although better in 1936 than in any year prior to 1930, was not as good as it was from 1930 to 1935, inclusive.

Jan 1, 1939

By Joseph D. Davis, G. S. Scott, Palmer B. Place

In the course of investigations made by the Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the Trent Process Corporation, into the properties of mixtures of oil and coal, a comparative study was ma.de of the 'behavior of these mixtures and their cons ti tuents on destructive distillation. Mixtures of a petroleum oil and bitminous coal were first distilled under carefully controlled conditions, and then charges of the eame oil and coal were distilled separately under similar conditions. The quantity and quality of the distillation products were determined, and. resul. ts were compared. This comparison furnished a basis tor judging whether grea, ... er values in products can be obtained by distillation of oil and coal in mixtures than· b:, their separate distillation. In making the mixtures, the method used in t~e Trent process for cleaning coal was followed. The paste or plastic emulsion of oil and coal obtained is called "amalgam".••• When finely pulverized wet coal is mixed with approximately one-third its weight of. oil and agitated with a large excass of waj;er, the coal and oil agglomer-. ate to form a paste or amalgam. A large portion of the extraneous ash original.17 in the coal remains suspended in the water, with which it can be decanted from the amalgam. Ir the latter is now thoroughly drained and kneaded after the manner ot working butter, most of the excess water enclosed can be removed. This, .in brief, constitutes the Trent process for cleaning coal, The effectiveness of the process for cleaning coal has been studied••••. by the Bureau, and the results of the study show, in general, a high ash reduction an:l good recovery of combus ti bl e f'rom coals of medi ,mi and hi~ rg,nk. With coals of tht lowest rank, such as li@!Rlites, the process is only moderately auccessf'ul, owing to the difficulty attending the preparation of coherent amalgams, Oil losses to wate~ and refuse are small, and apparently it would be practical to rotate the same oil in the cleaning process if some efficient method were devised for recovering it from the amalgam, so a distillation process naturally suggested itself.

Dec 1, 1921

By Bureau of Mines Staff

Coal research and related activities in 1964 by the Bureau of Mines resulted in many advances in the production, preparation, and utilization of this valuable natural resource. Mining research during the year was marked by work on hydraulic mining, coalbed degasification, mine drainage control, mine sealing, strip-mine rehabilitation, and quenching of mine-refuse fires. Bureau research continued to produce information leading to increased safety in underground mining. Such research included roof and rib control via bolting and bonding, pressure monitoring of coal and mine rock during mining operations, and development of safety devices for detecting conditions leading to roof falls. Other safety work was continued on methane detectors, coal-dust suppression, and mine venti lation equipment and techniques. Mine explosion and explosives research, mine equipment and materials, safety rule modernization, and safety education and training of mine workmen were continued. Coal storage and preparation work in 1964 ranged from freezeproofing of lignite for rail shipment, through washability studies of coals and washing equipment, to research on new ways to remove ash and sulfur from coal. Electric power production, which ,accounts for a major portion of the market for coal, received further study. Unique power generation systems, inc luding coal-burning gas turbine and megnetohydrodynamic generators, were intensively investigated. Conventional power systems were improved through continuation of work on furnace performance, powerplant stack gas purification, and engineering and boiler water service.

Jun 1, 1965

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 Jr. Reistle

The tests reported in this paper were made in the East Texas field in the summer and fall of 1932 as a part of the Bureau of Mines study of the operation of flowing wells and reservoir performance; and to determine, if possible, the minimum reservoir pressure necessary to produce the wells in this field by natural flow through different sizes of flow strings. The minimum reservoir pressure that would be required to Maintain natural flow through 2 1/2-inch tubing was determined experimentally for the existing energy conditions in the East Texas field. With the present available data, however, it is impossible to predict accurately or to determine by calculation the necessary energy requirements for maintaining the vertical flow of oil and gas mixtures under all conditions. Although some valuable data were obtained which seem to have application to the solution of problems involving vertical flow, this important research of the petroleum industry is so involved that more study of the complicating factors influencing the flow of oil-gas mixtures through vertical pipes is required.

Jan 1, 1933

By Robert F. Pettit

This paper on methods and costs of mining and milling iron ore at the Iron Mountain mine of Ozark Ore Co., St, Francois County, Mo., is one of a series of Bureau of Mines reports on methods, practices, and costs of mining and milling throughout the United States. The Iron Mountain operation is notable for its successful transition from open-pit to underground mining, for use underground of large earth-moving equipment, and for development of a multilevel room-and-pillar mining method. Milling methods also have undergone transitions - from hand sorting and log washing in the early days to gravity concentration. Milling ultimately may include flotation to recover additional iron from products now discarded as tailing,

Jan 1, 1957

By N. O. Johnson

This is one of a series of-Information Circulars dealing with mining and milling methods and costs at mines in various districts in the United States. The Hog Mountain gold mining district is of the northern edge of Tallapoosa County, in the east central part of the State of Alabama. The district is equally close to Goodwater and to Alexander City, both stations on the main line of the Central of Georgia Railroad. From Alexander City the mine is reached by 13 miles of graded road, traveling in a northeast direction. In dry seasons the road is good; in wet weather it is bad but passable. Improvements are being made constantly on the road, so that in the near future the gravel road should be good under all weathered conditions.

Jan 1, 1936

The papers contained herein summarize results of various recent Bureau of Mines investigations in the area of mine power distribution systems. They are based on information from Bureau personnel, contractors and grantees, and Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration. Conclusions drawn from a series of parameter measurements on mine power systems, taken over a 3-year span, are presented. Personnel and equipment hazards due to faults on isolated, solidly grounded, and resistance grounded three-phase systems are discussed. Two papers cover dc applications of circuit breakers, including a novel protection scheme for trolley lines. The methods of suppressing induced arcing currents and voltages in a-c machines are evaluated. An evaluation program for ground monitors is described. Acceptance test procedures and the importance of various paparameters for trailing cable splice are covered. A number of techniques for locating faults in trailing cables are described.

Jan 1, 1975

By W. R. K. Wu

Results of linear correlations of two to four variables by the least-squares method are presented. The variables include 63 parameters representing coal composition, coal plasticity, and coke strength. The composition parameters are on chemical analyses; the plasticity parameters, on three plastometer and dilatometer tests and four miscellaneous tests; and the coke-strength parameters, on three ASTM indices. Seventy-two to eighty-four plastic coals were used in the plasticity and carbonization tests, which together form the basis of this report; 43 nonplastic or weakly plastic coals were used in the coal-band studies. Plots of relations between volatile matter, carbon, and oxygen contents of 1,860 U.S. coals and the 84 coals used are shown. Similar plots between volatile matter and hydrogen or atomic H/C of the 84 coals are also included. Significances of regression coefficient signs for coal composition parameters in the significant correlations found are discussed. Based on these significances, the following relations are shown: (a) coke strength versus average aromaticity, or mineral matter content, of the parent coal; (b) characteristic temperatures of the plastometer and dilatometers, the free-swelling index, or the Gray-King type versus average hydroaromaticity of the coal; and (c) nontemperature parameters of the plastometer and dilatometers versus the physical properties of a certain group of compounds from thermal decomposition of coal. Similarly, significances between the positions of coals in the coal band and the aforementioned relations are also discussed. A structural theory of coal plasticity is proposed. Applications of the correlation results are discussed. Composition parameters, such as carbon, atomic H/C, and calorific value may be used as a basis for selecting coking coals for stronger coke. Plasticity parameters, such as the end temperatures of the plastometer and dilatometers and the free-swelling index, may be used for the same purpose. Based on the best correlations found, coke-strength indices may be estimated to within 4 to 8 units of the observed values; the end temperatures of the plastometer and dilatometer tests, 5° to 10° C.; and the free-swelling index, within 1 unit. Accuracies of all these estimated values are examined, based on the experimental errors of the data involved. Finally, estimations of plasticity parameters from one test with those from others are shown.

Jan 1, 1971

By B. C. Burgess

This paper, describing the milling practices at the Minpro plant of the Tennessee Mineral Products Corporation, Spruce Pine, N. C., is the first of a series being prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Mines on feldspar milling methods and costs in the various feldspar producing areas in the United States. It describes not only the latest practices in feldspar grinding but includes studies of the cost of producing ground feldspar. These cost studies, obviously of interest to every consumer and purchaser of feldspar and to all feldspar grinders, are also of value to the small operator, who is generally prone to understimate his real costs. It describes the latest practices in feldspar milling and includes detailed costs of grinding. The cost tabulations presented show operating expenditures only and not total production costs. Details of costs are given only to the extent that they are essential to the technical discussion and study of the methods employed. A description of the recently installed milling unit for the preparation of granular glasspar by graded crushing, and magnetic separation is of particular interest. It illustrates how highly specialized feldspar milling has become, and to what an extent grinders are going to supply consumers with the products best suited for their particular needs.

Jan 1, 1931