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By M. Howard Berliner

During the spring of 1944, the Bureau of Mines investigated the Crescent mine area near the village of Rewey, Iowa County, Wis., as part of a general investigation of the zinc-producing area of southwestern Wisconsin. The work was done when every effort was being made to increase the production of metals important to the Nation's war program. The Bureau of Mines completed 24 churn-drill holes in an area immediately to the west of a mineralized section which had been mined through shallow workings for lead and zinc more than 40 years earlier.

Jan 1, 1948

By Arcy P., D&apos Banister

Several gold-antimony geochemical anomalies were outlined near Stibnite, Idaho, using the humus sampling technique. Several hundred reconnaissance humus samples were collected and analyzed by a combination fire-assay atomic absorption method. The results partially outlined several gold-antimony anomalies and are very encouraging for further work in this part of Idaho.

Jan 1, 1970

By Daryl E. Radcliffe

This report describes an instrument system developed by the Bureau of Mines to continuously monitor and record changes in roof displacement during underground mining activity. The instrument consists of a single-wire extensometer coupled to a mechanical-drive chart recorder mounted in an aluminum frame installed in the roof. The unit is small and simple to install and meets safety requirements for use in underground coal mines.

Jan 1, 1977

By C. P. Bowie

"It is well known by all who are familiar with the oil industry in America that the oil pipe line is as fundamentally a part of this industry as the railroad is of most other American industries. The oil pipe line was first introduced about 56 years ago, and since that time has so demonstrated its superiority as a means of carrying crude oil froze the well to the refinery, that this method of transportation has largely superseded all others. This has made possible the building of refineries in or near the large consuming centers, rather than at the wells, which are usually remote from the centers of population.The pipes for conveying the oil are laid on the surface of the ground, or at a depth varying from 18 inches to 3 feet beneath the surface, and the main lines are generally eight inches in diameter. The oil is forced through the pipes by means of pumps operated either by steam or by internal combustion engines. The pump stations are located from 1 1/2 to 90 miles apart, varying with the condition of the country through which the pipe lines extend, and the viscosity of the oil to be handled.Some of the larger pipe-line systems and hundreds of miles in length. It is estimated by the U. S. Geological Survey that the total mileage of oil trunk lines in the United States today is approximately 34,000, and that the gathering systems, which are a fundamental part of the trunk systems, aggregate about 11,500 miles in length, making a total of 45,500 miles.Using those figures as a basis, some general conclusions as to the investment represented will be made. At the time most of the lines were constructed, the average cost per mile based on eight-inch pipe was about $6,500. The cost of the average pump station at that time varied from $130,000 to $250,000. The cost at the present time, on account of the increase in price of labor and materials, would be much in excess of these figures. The fixed investment in pipe lines is, therefore, very extensive. It corresponds closely with the actual cost of the property, and is estimated to be approximately $500,000,000."

Sep 1, 1920

By J. Gautam, T. Ong, W. E. Wallace, M. Keane, S. Xing, J. Harrison

"INTRODUCTIONOrganics extractable from respirable diesel exhaust soot particles by organic solvents have been known for some time to be direct acting frameshift mutagens in the Ames Salmonella typhimurium histidine reversion assay (Huisingh, et al). Upon deposition in a pulmonary alveolus or respiratory bronchiole, respirable diesel soot particles will contact first the hypophase which is coated by and laden with surfactants. To model interactions of soot and pulmonary surfactant, we dispersed soots in vitro in the primary phospholipid pulmonary surfactant dipalmitoyl glycerophosphorylcholine (lecithin) (DPL) in physiological saline. We have shown that diesel soots dispersed in lecithin surfactant can express mutagenic activity, in the Ames assay system using S. typhimurium TA98, comparable to that expressed by equal amounts of soot extracted by dichloromethane/ dimethylsulfoxide (DCM/DMSO)(Wallace, et al, 1987). Here we report additional data on the same system using additional exhaust soots and also using two other phospholipids, dipalmitoyl glycerophosphoryl ethanolamine (DPPE), and dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid (DPPA), with different ionic character hydrophilic moieties. A preliminary study of the surfactant dispersed soot in an eucaryotic cell test system also is reported.MATERIALS AND METHODSSoots D4 and D6 were collected at two different times as scrapings from the exhaust pipe of a diesel tractor-trailer immediately after the engine was stopped. Surfactant dispersions were made by ultrasonic probe sonicating 25 mg of commercially obtained DPL, DPPE, or DPPA into 1O ml of O.85% physiological sterile saline (PSS) for 10 min at 40 watts power. For surfactant dispersions, 2.5 mg soot was mixed into 2.5 ml of the appropriate phospholipid dispersion. Mixtures were sonicated by 40 watts sonicator probe for one min, then incubated in the sonicator water bath for 30 min at room temperature; the mixture was then incubated for one hour at 37C while being rotated continuously. Dilution series were made with saline. For solvent extraction, 2.5 mg soot was mixed into 2.5 ml of DCM and incubated in a sonicator water bath for 30 min at room temperature. The sample was then mixed with 2.7 ml DMSO, placed in a dry bath at 45C, and the DCM evaporated under a stream of nitrogen gas until 2.5 ml of liquid remained. Ames salmonella/microsome assay utilizing TA98 for frameshift mutation was used for mutagenicity testing, with and without S9 activation, as described by Ames et al (1975). Unfiltered sample extractions or dispersions were preincubated with tester cells for 90 min at 37C : 0.1 ml of sample was mixed with 0.5 ml of PSS, or of S9 mixture, and 0.1 ml of an overnight TA98 culture incubated samples were then added to 2 ml of top agar supplemented with biotin and a trace amount of histidine, and overlayed onto Vogel-Bonner minimal media plates. After 48 hours incubation at 37C, revertant colonies were counted. Solvent controls were DMSO, DPL, DPPE, DPPA, and saline. Positive controls were trinitrofluorenone (1 ug/plate), for samples not treated with S9, and 2-aminoanthracene for S9 treated samples (2.5 ug/plate). All samples were assayed in duplicate. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) assay was performed, following Lett, et al (1981), using V79 cells, of Chinese hamster pulmonary fibroblast origin. Stock diesel sample suspensions were made as 10 mg soot/ml DPL suspension, or 20 mg soot/ml in DMSO. Aliquots of these soot preparations were added to 15 ml of culture medium per sample flask to result in concentrations of 25, 50, and 75 ug soot/ml medium. After 12 hours incubation, 200 ul of 25 uM 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was added to each flask. After another 35 hours incubation, 200 ul of 10 ug/ml colcemid were added; and the cells were harvested three hours later. Cells were swollen by hypotonic saline, and fixed twice with methanol/acetic acid, and burst on microscope slides. Cells on the slide were stained with Hoechst 33258, exp"

Jan 1, 1990

By R. Barany

The heat of formation at 298.15 ° K of muscovite was determined by solution calorimetry . The value obtained for the heat of formation from the elements was -1,421.2 ± 1.3 kcal / mole , and the value for the heat of formation from the oxides was -55.9 ± 1.3 kcal /mole .

Jan 1, 1964

By Donald W. Mitchell, John Nagy, Edwin M. Murphy

Information is presented on remote sealing of a mine passageway through a borehole by five methods : PPnneeuummaattiicc injection of mineral wool and sand, ureaformaldehyde foam , balloons , urethane foam, and caving by blasting . An adaptation of the method using pneumatically conveyed mineral wool was tried in an operating mine . Further research is needed to simplify and to improve the techniques involved , as well as to explore the possibilities of other methods and combinations .

Jan 1, 1964

By A. R. Elliott

"In addition to the usual interpretation that is placed on the words ""thief"" and ""thieves"", the petroleum industry also uses these words when referring to an instrument that is used for taking samples of oil from a tank or reservoir. It is an abbreviation of the term ""thief-tube"". It is desirable in sampling volumes of oil in tanks or reservoirs to obtain samples at different intervals below the surface of the fluid, because of the variation in the character of the oil at different depths. It is for this purpose that the ""thief"" is used.The subject of oil thieves is probably as old as the oil industry itself. Opinions as to which is the most practical instrument for thieving oil in tanks, to obtain a true average sample, differ wherever oil is produced and is analyzed. Every district, and even many of the companies within the district, will have different appliances for ""grabbing"" oil samples. It is interesting to note in passing that though the thief has an apparently insignificant part in the handling of oil, yet the results depending on it are of paramount importance practically every branch of the transportation, refining, and marketing of petroleum. Determinations, particularly dependent on a representative sample, are made by the centrifuge, laboratory distillation tests, and the hydrometer.The purpose of this article is to discuss conditions found in the California fields. Only a general description of types of thieves and the methods of using them will be given. However, it is believed sufficient data are given to enable the reader to form his own opinion as to which of the devices is most practicable under the prevailing conditions. Thieves of all types have their good points, speaking broadly, and it is possible to get good results with any of them, provided they are operated according to instructions and with due care. In work of this kind the advantages or disadvantages reside in the person operating the instrument rather than in the instrument used."

Apr 1, 1920

By D. W. Frommer

Laboratory mineral-dressing investigations were conducted on talc-bearing samples from Arkansas and Texas under the Bureau of Mines program of examinations and surveys, which is concerned, in part, with the improvement of conservation and utilization of domestic mineral resources. Two of the soapstones in question were successfully upgraded by flotation, utilizing stage additions of a frother and an amine to promote their talc content. The process could enable the producers to meet more rigid specifications of higher priced talc commodities. INTRODUCTION Talc is an industrial mineral with distinctive properties, such as softness, smoothness, large surface area in relation to mass, chemical inertness, and good retention as a filler, that make it particularly valuable to a number of industries. Sales to 6 industries -ceramics, paint, insecticide, rubber, roofing, and paper -consumed 84 percent of the domestic production of talc, pyrophyllite, and ground soapstone in 1952. Mine production in that year totaled 600,908 tons. Sales of crude and ground material were 593,147 tons valued at $11,347,317.2/

Jan 1, 1956

By A. Z. Dimitroff

An improvised rock- dust disseminator, consisting of a 10-gallon galvanized metal milk can that dispenses rock dust in return air currents by the injection of compressed air has reduced the float dust explosion hazards at the Koehler coal mine, Koehler, N. Mex.

Jan 1, 1965

By Ralph L. Brown

The chemical properties of the unsaturated members of the aliphatic series of hydrocarbons are such as to render them " made to order" starting points or basic . materials for the synthesis of hundreds of important organic chemicals . The tremendous quantities of these unsaturated compounds that are being produced daily in the various coal carbonization and oil refining processes , and which at present have little value other than that of fuel , render a survey of the identity and ex- tent of occurrence of these compounds important from the viewpoint of economic utilization and resource conservation The increased need of liquid fuel and the relatively early exhaustion of petroleum resources will eventually require every utilization of liquid fuel products obtainable directly or indirectly from coal . Accordingly , the Bureau of Mines took advantage of an opportunity for examining the gaseous unsaturated hydrocarbons found in the gas obtained when a mixture of water- Collection of the material gas tar and coal is distilled in a gas-making retort . for examination was made possible through the courtesy of the Trent Process Corporation , Washington , D.C. , which was at that time carrying on at the Georgetown Gas Works , distillation of " amal gams " prepared from various coals and oils by the Trent process for cleaning coals . Kanawha gas coal ( 70%) and water gas tar ( 30 % ) from the Washington Gas Light plant were used in the " amal gam" being distilled at that time . The results obtained in this examination are presented here .

Feb 2, 1922

By C. K. Man

Coal dust explosions are routinely conducted within the full-scale experimental mine at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Pittsburgh Research Laboratory?s (PRL) Lake Lynn Experimental Mine (LLEM) to meet the needs of numerous safety and health research programs. Many of these explosion tests over the years involved igniting different coal dust and limestone rock dust mixtures (up to 80% by volume rock dust). Following four more recent tests, floor dust samples have been collected and analyzed using the alcohol coking test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the results compared to estimate the flame travel.

Jan 1, 2009

By David E. Van Dillen

This volume is a task-by-task review of work performed in modernizing the BMINES finite element code. Much of the discussion is accomplished by cross reference to the user?s guide, which is Volume I of this two-volume report. The computer program described in this report provides for the static, three-dimensional, linear and nonlinear analysis of structural and geologic systems by the finite element method. The nonlinear material properties currently available in the code include isotropic, anisotropic, variable modulus, plastic, viscoelastic, and viscoplastic. Load application capabilities include gravity loading, surface tractions, and initial stresses. The element library includes rods, beams, plane and axisymmetric quadrilateral elements, three-dimensional brick elements, thick shell elements, and plane, axisymmetric, and three-dimensional joint elements. Special features include the ability to simulate excavation and construction sequences by means of element activity. An automatic mesh generator is included in order to simplify input preparation.

Jan 1, 1981

By P. W. Jerant

The methane emissions from an advancing coal mine section were continuously monitored for 120 days. During this time, the section advanced 2,000 feet into virgin Pittsburgh coalbed producing 54,565 tons of coal with a total methane emission of 91 million ft3. Analysis of the data gathered showed that daily methane emissions did not correlate with overburden thickness and daily coal production. A good correlation was found between the daily methane emission and the average length of rib exposed to virgin coal.

Jan 1, 1976

By R. L. Grayson, W. E. Wallace, M. D. Attfield, A. Q. Wearden, P. Bolsaitis, R. D. Kennedy, M. J. Keane, J. C. Harrison

"Respirable high-silica particles from four coal mines. a clay mine and a tunnelling site were analysed for silicon vs aluminum composition by performing scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDS) at electron accelerating voltages of 20 kiloelectron volts (keV). The same particles were analysed at 5 keV to determine possible differences in surface vs bulk composition. In some cases high-silica particles exhibited a decrease in the ratio of silicon to aluminium K-alpha line intensities with decreasing electron beam accelerating voltage. This behaviour is consistent with aluminosilicate surface contamination or occlusion of a silica particle. Some 20 high-silica particles were analysed from each of 10 samples. Powdered aluminosilicate glass was used as a control for the behaviour of silica with a homogeneous distribution of aluminium in the particle. Significant differences were found between the control and sample means for an Illinois bituminous coal mine dust, two western and one central Pennsylvania bituminous coal mine dust low-temperature ashes. and a clay mine and mill dust sample, but not for an anthracite coal mine dust and two central Pennsylvania bituminous coal mine dust low-temperature ashes. INTRODUCTIONRESPIRABLE dust quartz content commonly is measured on bulk samples by using i.r. spectroscopy or X-ray diffraction. For research purposes, individual particle-by particle SEM-EDS analysis at 20-30 keV electron beam accelerating potential may be used also. Such measurements have not provided an unambiguous association of quartz content with occupational pulmonary disease prevalence in exposed workers (WALTON et al., 1977). Rather, there is evidence that coal rank modifies the relationship between dust exposure and pneumoconiosis development (WAL TON et al., 1977; ROBOCK and BAUER, 1990; ATTFIELD and MORRING, in press). SEM-EDS analysis was performed to measure the silicon fraction, Si/(Si +Ai), at 20 and at 5 keV on high-silica particles to determine if some respirable quartz particles generated by mining exhibit heterogenous composition with depth (WALLACE et al., 1990), which might affect the bioavailability of the quartz surface."

Dec 1, 1995

By Kenneth L. Rubow, Virgil A. Marple, Bruce K. Cantrell

"In a cooperative study by the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Bureau of Mines, diesel exhaust and mineral dust concentrations have been measured for aerosols generated in the laboratory and in five underground coal mines. Three mines utilized diesel-powered haulage equipment and two used all-electric equipment. Two source apportionment techniques have been applied to differentiate between the mineral dust and diesel exhaust aerosol concentrations measured. The first technique, using a micro-orifice, uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) for size selective sampling, is based on modeling aerosol size and the premise that the diesel exhaust portion of the aerosol is predominantly submicron and the mineral dust portion is mostly greater that one micrometer in size. The second technique, Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) modeling, was used to referee the analysis of diesel exhaust and mineral dust aerosol concentrations from the size selective sampling results.The MOUDI size distribution data were modeled to obtain parameters describing the fine and course fractions of the sampled aerosol and to estimate the contributions to each mode from both mineral dust and diesel exhaust aerosol sources. The results showed the size distribution of the mixed aerosols exhibited two definite modes with the minimum between the modes occurring at 0.8 µm. Less than 5 pct of the coal mine diesel aerosol was found in the coarse size fraction. CMB analysis confirms the original premise for using aerosol size to separate diesel exhaust and mineral dust aerosol during sampling.Based on the results from the size selective sampling, a personal diesel aerosol sampler has been developed for measuring diesel aerosol mass concentrations. Th.is sampler uses an inertial impactor to size separate the respirable aerosol at 0.8 µm. All material less than 0.8 µm is collected on an after filter for subsequent gravimetric analysis."

Jan 1, 1990

By Van E. Shaw

Fusion of an 86-percent euxenite concentrate with ammonium sulfate was investigated by the Bureau of Mines. Reaction for 4 hours at 400° C results in conversion of both the rare-earth elements and the titanium-columbium components to water-soluble compounds. Similar results are obtained with ammonium bisulfate. Stirring the fusion mass decreases the reaction time substantially. Alternatively, treating the fusion product with a 3-hour, 650° C calcining step renders the non-rare-earth constituents insoluble, thereby allowing selective leaching of a pure rare-earth fraction with an overall yield of 97 percent.

Jan 1, 1967

By P. G. Kovalchik

Overexposure to noise remains a widespread, serious health hazard in the US mining and other industries despite 25 years of regulation. Most categories of illnesses and injuries associated with mining have improved, with the exception of hearing loss. The drilling of rock in a confined work environment contributes to high levels of noise exposure in mining. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is conducting research to reduce the noise exposures of jackleg drill operators and to prevent additional cases of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) by developing and evaluating low-cost retrofit noise controls for equipment. This report describes the procedure for the measurement and reporting of noise from portable pneumatic tools such as jackleg drills. The technique used in this research allows for the determination of the source A-weighted sound power levels and the radiation patterns in octave and 1/3 octave bands. Overall sound power level is also determined. This paper also reports the results obtained by using this procedure to evaluate a SECO S215 standard production drill and a CSIR Miningtek prototype rock drill incorporating engineering noise control measures. It was found that by using the manufacture?s recommended operating pressure of 496 kPa (72 psi) that the CSIR prototype?s sound power was 10 dB(A) less then that of the SECO S215.

Jan 1, 2009

By Benjamin Petkof

Production quarry blasts in three rock types were photographed with a high-speed camera. Analysis of the films showed that step increases sometimes occur in the horizontal velocity of the broken rock. These step velocity increases were observed only in the first foot or so of rock movement. This observation indicates that the gaseous products of the explosion do additional work on the rock after it is crushed and cracked by the initial compressive-stress pulse and the reflected tensile-stress pulse. The observed initial fly-rock velocity is compared with the calculated fly-rock velocity for reflection spalling. A mechanism possibly causing the velocity increases is discussed. INTRODUCTION When a small concentrated charge of explosive is detonated at the bottom of a drill hole near a free surface, two modes of rock failure have been observed; both are associated with the stress pulse generated in the rock by the detonating explosive. The first mode of failure is the crushing and radial tensile cracking associated with the initial passage of the compressive-stress pulse as it propagates outward from the explosion. This type of rock failure is usually confined to the immediate vicinity of the charge hole. The second mode of failure is the tangential and radial tensile cracking associated with the tensile-stress pulse that is reflected from the free surface. This mode of failure is commonly called scabbing or spalling and has been shown to be a primary cause of rock failure in crater formation at one free surface. (3).4

Jan 1, 1961

By David W. Wisecarver

This report describes a tool to engage and/or place a Bureau of Mines type gage to measure borehole deformation in a horizontal , 1½ - inch - diameter , stress relief borehole . The tool was successfully used at a borehole depth of 105 feet . Practical usage up to borehole depths of 200 feet might be realized . The tool was designed to work inside EX- size ( 1½ - inch ID ) diamond - drill drive casing used as drill rod and through which the deformation gage is guided into an EX- size stress relief borehole . Through laboratory experiments it was found that by exercising a reasonable amount of care the deformation gage could be placed at a point within a ± .01 foot distance of a predetermined depth in a horizontal EX- size hole and that the deformation measuring piston or plunger of the gage could be oriented in the borehole within 0.5 ° of a preselected angle of orientation in a vertical plane .

Jan 1, 1964