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By F. A. Rutledge

[An a part of the United States Department of the interior program for the development and use of Alaska raw materials, the Bureau of Mines is conducting an investigation of deposits of nonmetallic minerals accessible to the Alaska Railroad for use in building; materials is In the Alaska Railroad-belt area. The results of the investigations, to date, indices that raw materials for the preduction of brick products are in plentiful supply as cloy in the Anchorage area, as fire clay at Sheep Mountain, and as shale in the Healy Creek coal formations near Healy, Alaska.]

Jan 1, 1953

To reduce the exposure of mining machine operators to respirable dust. Approach: A protective curtain of filtered air is blown down around the operator's head, from a manifold mounted on the machine canopy. How It Works: Mine air is drawn into the system through a filter which removes respirable dust. The filtered air enters a centrifugal blower which pushes it through a flexible hose to a manifold mounted on the canopy above the operator. Air leaves the manifold through a perforated plate and flows down around the operator's head. A photograph of an installed system can be seen in Figure 1. The second photograph, Figure 2, shows the sys-tem components. An important advantage of this dust protection system is that it is not worn or carried, or in any way connected to the operator. It is therefore not uncomfortable, encumbering, or

Jan 1, 1976

By Michael S. Miller

During U.S. Bureau of mines mineral investigations, in 1981 and 1983, no mines, prospects, or mineral resources were identified in the Little Sand Spring Wilderness Study Area (WSA). Placer gold values in near-surface samples from alluvial fans within or near the WSA contained no more than 66 cents gold per cu yd, at $400 per troy ounce gold price. Sand and gravel and carbonate rocks occur in large quantities, but transportation costs to distant markets preclude their classification as resources. Nitrogen, lithium, clay, pumice, perlite, aragonite, and agate occurrences in the WSA are small or low-grade. The Silvia Mine, adjacent to the WSA contains gold-, silver-, copper-, and lead-bearing shear zones which strike toward the WSA. INTRODUCTION The Little Sand Spring WSA, encompassing 33,500 acres, is approximately 56 mi east of Big Pine, California, by paved and graded dirt roads (fl;. 1). Elevations range from 2,600 ft in Death Valley Wash to 5,600 ft along the California-Nevada boundary. The nearest permanent facilities are at Grapevine Ranger station and Scotty's Castle (Death Valley Ranch), about 9 and 11 mi, respectively, south in Death Valley National Monument.

Jan 1, 1983

By Mirza A. Beg

The Piedmont physiographic province of east-central Alabama lies in a humid subtropical climatic zone. Such an area with mature land forms underlain by rocks rich in feldspars provides conditions condusive to development of gibbsite, a major source of alumina; a raw material for which the United States relies on foreign suppliers for 85 percent of its needs. Gibbsite occurs in the northern and inner sections of the Piedmont Province of Alabama in Coosa, Clay, Randolph, Chambers, Elmore, Tallapoosa and Lee Counties in soils and saprolite derived from amphibolites, granites, feldspathic hornblende gneiss and other gneissic rocks. The major occurrences of gibbsite are in areas underlain by hornblende gneiss in Chambers and Randolph Counties. This region provides the proper physiographic and mineralogical setting for large areas containing up to 25 percent of saprolitic gibbsite. These areas provide potential sources of alumina that could be used to meet the United States future needs. Narrow zones and pockets rich in gibbsite also occur in soil and saprolite derived from areally restricted feldspar rich zones of narrow linear amphibolites in the inner Piedmont and feldspathic zones in various granites distributed throughout the Piedmont.

Jan 1, 1982

By David A. Lipton

In 1983, U.S. Bureau of Mines personnel examined mines, prospects, and mineralized areas to determine the mineral resources in the Carrizo Gorge Wilderness Study Area (WSA). The 14,571-acre WSA, located 42 miles east of El Centro, CA, is underlain primarily by Mesozoic granitic rocks and pre-Cretaceous metasedimentary rocks. Six prospects were found within the WSA and two mines are adjacent to it. Mineral deposits within the WSA have had insufficient development and rock exposures for calculating resources. The WSA contains no identified mineral resources; however, further exploration may disclose gem quality minerals. Two mines adjacent to the WSA, the Pack Rat and Beebe Hole, have produced gem quality kunzite and aquamarine from pegmatite dikes. According to the owners, a significant amount of gem minerals have been mined here in the last decade. Based on past production and the characteristic minerals indicating gem-bearing pockets, additional pockets are likely. Similar pegmatite dikes occur from Mt. Tule to Carrizo Gorge and may contain gem-bearing pockets. Pegmatite dikes also occur in the WSA near Rockhouse Canyon, but contained few of the mineral associations indicative of gem-bearing pockets. Manganese occurrences north of the Beebe Hole and Packrat Mines and within the WSA contain low concentrations of manganese. Significant sand and gravel were not identified. There is no evidence of deposits of oil and gas, or geothermal energy.

Jan 1, 1985

By Charles B. Carpenter

In general terminology, the West Texas Permian Basin companies the area south of the Texas Panhandle and west of the Bend Arch or Central Basin region. It is outlined more definitely by geologists however, as that area underlain by the south half of the Permian Salt Basin4/ and includes Scurry, Mitchell, Sterling, Howard, Glasscock, Reagan, Crockett, Upton, Midland, Martin, Gaines, Andrews, rotor, Crane, Pecos, Ward, Winkler, and Loving Counties in Texas, and.. Lea and Eddy Counties in New Mexico. The oil fields of the area, of which more than 70 have been discovered, are shown in fire 1. Approximately 4,200 producing oil wells have been drilled in these fields. Oil has been produced from limestones and dolomites of Permian age in most of the fields in the West Texas Permian Basin. Some of the fields produced oil from sandstone beds above the limestone, and in two fields production has been found below the limestone in formations of Ordovician age.

Jan 1, 1936

By Charles B. Carpenter

In general terminology, the West Texas Permian Basin comprises the area south of the Texas Panhandle and west of the Bend Arch or Central Basin region. It is outlined mere definitely by geologists, however, as that area underlain by the south half of the Permian Salt Basin4/ and includes Scurry, Mitchell, Sterling, Howard, Glasscock, Reagan, Crockett, Upton, Midland, Martin, Gaines, Andrews, Ector, Crane, Pecos, Ward, Winkler, and Loving Counties in Texas, and Lea and Eddy Counties in New Mexico. The oil fields of the area, of which more than 70 have been discovered, are shown in fire 1. Approximately 4,200 producing oil wells have been drilled in these fields. Oil has been produced from limestones and dolomites of Permian age in most of the fields in the West Texas Permian Basin. Some of the fields produced oil from sandstone beds above the limestone, and in two fields production has been found below the limestone in formations of Ordovician age.

Jan 1, 1936

By William Seymour, L. D. Schmidt, J. W. Myers, W. T. Reid

"This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Mines as part of a program of the Solid Fuels Administration to encourage the utilization of anthracite fines, the objective being to determine the practicability of using anthracite fines in the manufacture of packagedThe experimental loss of packaged fuel covered by this report were made at a commercial plant using the Glenn Smith process and ordinarily making packaged fuel from Pocahontas screenings. These lots included several made from straight antimacite mines and others made from various blends of anthracite fines with four different bituminous coals. In all cases an asphalt binder was used. Determinations of the physical properties and the cobustion characteristics o the various samples of packaged fuel were made by the. Bureau of Mines at the Central Experiment Station.The physical tests indicated that a packaged fuel of sufficient strength for ordinary handling can be made from straight anthracite coal or from a wide variety of blends of anthracite fixes with bitunimous coal, using asphaltic binder. However the combustion tests indicated that packaged fuel made from anthracite alone tended to crumble excessively during burning and that as much as 30 to 50 percent of a caking coal may be required In the mixture to produce a block having satisfactory combustion characteristics.The authors wish to acknowledge the. splendid cooperation of Messrs. H. W. Kelly, J. L. Mooney and C. H. Stoss of Columbus, Ohio, who were chiefly responsible for obtaining the materials and making all the arrangements necessary for the production of the packaged fuel for testing.Thanks are due to the officials of Carnegie Institute of Technology for the use of their Olsen. Testing Machine and to H. M. Cooper and W. A. Selvig of the Bureau of Mines for analyses and tests."

May 1, 1946

By Bruce F. Grant

"INTRODUCTION The future of oil production in the part of the Appalachian region included in southwestern Pennsylvania; West Virginia, and southeastern Ohio is directly dependent on the maintenance of existing wells. This report presents an analytical study of the methods used in oil-well reconditioning in this area. The study is part of a research program designed to evaluate those means of stimulating oil production that can effectively and economically maintain present oil-production rates and make it possible to keep existing wells in operation. Well-reconditioning work was curtailed during the war; therefore, an abnormally large number of wells in the Appalachian Region is now in need of repair. Because the lubricant content of Appalachian crude: oils is high and the refined lubricating oils an; particularly suited to use in high speed, high-temperature engines, the demand for these crude oils during the war exceeds, the maximum rate of production obtainable under wartime operating conditions. Increases in operating, expenses, inability to meet war-time reconditioning costs, and inflexible price structures caused the abandonment of an alarming number of wells during the past 4 or 5 years.As a means of increasing regional oil-production rates, new drilling in the older fields for primary production generally is uneconomical because reservoir pressures in most of the fields have virtually been depleted and the production rates of newly drilled wells are small."

Feb 1, 1948

By John P. Carter

The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted research to determine suitable construction materials for use in brine and steam environments produced from high-salinity geothermal brines. The high-temperature, high-salinity geothermal brines in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resources Area (KGRA) are a valuable source of energy and mineral values. The brine and steam produced from them are corrosive and cause early failure of many common materials of construction. Mass-loss and electrochemical corrosion measurements were conducted on over 60 metal alloys in brine and steam environments produced from geothermal well Magmamax No.1, located at the Salton Sea KGRA, at temperatures from 1800 to 2150 C, and in synthetic Magmamax brine at 105° and 232° C. General corrosion, crevice and pitting corrosion, and stress corrosion were examined along with the effects of dissolved gases. The alloys with the most acceptable corrosion performance in high-temperature, high-salinity geothermal environments were the high-chromium ferritic stainless steels, the Inconels and Hastelloys, and the titanium alloys. Specific alloys that performed well in wellhead brine included Fe29Cr4Mo, E-Brite 26-1, stabilized Fe26Cr1Mo, 6X, Inconel 625, Hastelloy C-276, Hastelloy S, Hastelloy G, Ti5OA, TiO.2Pd, and TiCode 12.

Jan 1, 2010

By W. H. Strickland, R. H. King

Ultrasonic ranging sensors are inexpensive, have no moving parts, have no lenses to clean, are normally small and unobtrusive, and can measure distances through moderate amounts of dust, smoke, and humidity, so they are well suited to underground mines. In the work reported here, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, researchers tested ultrasonic ranging sensors for their abiity to define rib line features for computer-aided navigation of underground mine mobile equipment. The investigation began with laboratory tests of field of view, angle of incidence, intersensor variation, and ranging accuracy of the individual rangers in a ring array produced by Denning Robotics of Wilmington, MA. The results showed that the sensors have good accuracy and low variability. Additional experiments at AMAX's Henderson Mine showed the sensors could accurately and reliably measure the distance to mine features, including convex and concave corners and rib intersections. The results showed that when used properly, the ranger data are accurate enough for reliable mine vehicle navigation When used incorrectly, ultrasonic rangers do not provide the anticipated data. Therefore, this report explains the principles of ultrasonic range measurement, describes the ranger's strengths and weaknesses, and explains proper ranger use and data analysis.

Jan 1, 1993

By Larry R. Powell

As part of the Bureau of Mines effort to establish a comprehensive subsidence data base for subsidence technology development, subsidence and related data are being compiled for various mining, geological, and environmental situations. This publication presents data for a longwall mining operation in the Northern Appalachian Coal Region. Vertical displacements and relative faze positions are tabulated for 160 subsidence monuments. Measurements were taken 32 times during the 2 years it took to mine the two panels. Brief physiographic and geological descriptions of the mining site are presented along with a general account of the mining and subsidence monitoring methods.

Jan 1, 1981

By Terry J. Close

In 1986 and 1987, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Bureau of Mines personnel studied 7,040 acres of the 7,240-acre Sheep Mountain Wilderness Study Area (OR-006-003) in order to evaluate its identified mineral resources. The area studied is along the divide between the Snake River and Pine Creek about 1.5 mi south of the village of Oxbow in Baker County, OR. No mineral resources or mineral-related activities were identified in the Sheep Mountain study area. The basalt covering most of the study area has no known mineralized sites. However, it contains common agate and opal that is of limited interest to mineral collectors. This basalt (stone) could be used locally as construction material (crushed stone or fill); however, suitable material is wide spread in the region and more accessible to possible markets.

Jan 1, 1987

By Clarence Karr

AN EXTENSIVE characterization was conducted on the neutral oil components in a low-temperature bituminous coal tar. A total of tai individual compounds identified with respect to individual isomers, and at least 55 other compounds were indicated to be present. The amounts were determined in all instances. A comparison of isomeric distribution in the tar with thermo-dynamic equilibrium distribution, and kinetic distributions indicated that the composition of the tar largely reflected the structure of the coal from which it was formed. Detailed descriptions are presented for the separatory and qualitative and quantitative procedures for the characterization of the neutral oil component. These include micro fractional vacuum distillation, displacement liquid chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, countercurrent distribution, and infrared and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Descriptions are given for the synthesis of authentic specimens of alkylindenes, The ultraviolet and infrared spectra of 134 polycyclic compounds, ranging from alkylindenes to alkylphenanthrenes, either found in the distillable neutral oil, or thought likely to be present, are also given.

Jan 1, 1967

By J. Mitchell Linne

In 1986 at the request of Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied 23,225 acres of the 27,980-acre Jordan Craters Wilderness Study Area (OR-003-128) in order to evaluate its identified mineral resources. The study area is located in Malheur County, OR, about 20 miles northwest from Jordan Valley. No mining activity has been recorded within the study area, and no metallic or industrial mineral resources were identified. Small isolated occurrences of decorative quality stone were identified. However, none of these occurrences constitute a resource. Although the study area is underlain by relatively young volcanic rocks, the area has no known geothermal energy resource.

Jan 1, 1987

By Lloyd A. Morley

This eight-chapter document is the second volume of a two-volume report that presents a comprehensive outline of coal-mine electrical power systems from theory to practice. Together, the two volumes contain the vital aspects that go into planning and designing a mine power system. Building upon Volume I, the subject of protective equipment and relaying starts Volume II, first as an introduction in Chapter 8, then by a treatment of device selection in Chapter 9. Chapter 10 continues system protection in terms of transients and overvoltages. Chapter 11 describes the design of major power equipment, including power centers, switchhouses, and substations. Solid-state applications in mining are given in Chapter 12, and batteries and battery charging are discussed in Chapter 13. Chapter 14 covers electrical-equipment in hazardous locations of mining operations. The report concludes with Chapter 15, a discussion of electrical maintenance as well as some specific mine electrical problems. Information on surface and underground use is included in all these chapters. An index finishes the documentation and is cross-referenced to both report volumes.

Jan 1, 1982

By Stephen P. Signer, John L. Lewis

This paper presents the results of a case study conducted in a two-entry gateroad in a coal mine where excessive roof deformation and bolt loading resulted in failure of many roof supports. The instruments consisted of 16 fully grouted, strain-gaged resin bolts, load cells on both full and partially grouted cable bolts, and vertical deflection multipoint extensometers. These instruments were installed on-cycle to measure loading on bolts in an existing support pattern and to determine if cable bolts could be used to improve roof stability. Results showed significant amounts of movement within the bolted zone. In some cases, these movements were enough to load the supports past their ultimate strength. Geology appeared to be a significant factor in localized roof degradation; that is, a very weak rock layer in the immediate roof overlain by a very strong rock layer contributed to the development of shear planes. Only one instrumented bolt had a maximum strain of less than 2,000 microstrain, which was the yield point of the steel. The average maximum strain on all bolts was 20,000 microstrain. However, electrical continuity to many gages was lost and a pattern was noted that would indicate possible bolt failure. Wire mesh and concrete cans installed as secondary support performed very effectively.

By Tom Retka

This three volume final report summarizes the activities and conclusions of this contract. The objective of the contract was to develop noise control modifications on a retrofit basis, for auger miner coal-cutting systems. Manuals were prepared to assist mine shop personnel in retrofitting the auger miner with these noise controls. Final Report Volume I - Details all vibration and acoustical tests conducted in development of the noise controls. Final Report Volume II - Noise Control Modification Manual for the Jeffrey 100-L Auger Miner describes the various noise control modifications to the auger miner, along with fabrication procedures, cost and vendor information. Final Report Volume III - Noise Control Modification Manual for the Jeffrey 94-L Bridge Conveyor describes the various noise control modifications to the bridge conveyor, along with fabrication procedures, cost and vendor information.

Jan 1, 1978

By J. E. Hamak

This publication contains analyses and related source data for 920 natural gas samples from 26 States and 2 foreign countries. All samples were obtained and analyzed as part of U.S. Bureau of Mines investigations of the occurrences of helium in natural gases of countries with free market economies. This survey has been conducted since 1917. The analyses published herein were made by mass spectrometer and chromatograph.

Jan 1, 1991

By Frank D. McGuirk

Underground coal mining is traditionally hazardous. Although many danger-prone human activities are now performed by mechanized equipment, this mechanization has itself brought new dangers to the underground mining industry, and the loss of life and limb has caused increased concern for mine safety. The 1969 Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act has precipitated a great deal of safety-related research on the part of the Government, industry, and private agencies. Much of this safety research has been focused on the new and varied man-machine interfaces caused by increased mechanization. Recent projects in this area have dealt with standardized controls, emergency shutdown capabilities (panic bars, strike plates, self-centering controls, "dead man" controls), and machine operator protective devices (fully enclosed cabs, canopies, side rails). There was a need for integration of the findings of current and past projects to move rapidly toward the smooth, orderly implementation of standardized operator work station designs for underground mining equipment.

Jan 1, 1975