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By M. D. Carver

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of variations in content (near the residual level) of the impurities aluminum, nitrogen, manganese, and copper on the corrosion rate in pressurized hot water and in pressurized steam of zircaloy-3, a zirconium-base alloy of 0.25 percent tin and 0.25 percent iron. Thirty-five 10-pound ingots were cast with the appropriate additions of impurity elements, and these were converted to wrought sheets. These specimens were then tested both in water and in steam. The analysis of the resulting data showed that in environments of either pressurized hot water or superheated steam, corrosion rates increased with increasing content of aluminum, nitrogen, or manganese, but were not affected by variations of copper. The effects of aluminum and nitrogen were found to be greater than the effect of manganese. INTRODUCTION At the request of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in August 1956, the Federal Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with Bettis Plant of Westinghouse Electric Corp., began investigating the effects of certain impurity elements on the corrosion rates of zircaloy-3 in pressurized hot water and in pressurized steam. It was necessary to know these effects in order to set control limits on residual impurity levels in zirnaloy-3, intended for heat transfer service in the nuclear reactor of the pressurized water type. A factorial expert it was designed by Westinghouse statisticians. The Atomic Energy Commission provided raw zirconium sponge purchased from Wah Chang Corp. The Bureau's laboratory at Albany, Oreg., made material of different combinations of impurity levels and subjected the material to corrosion tests. This report will describe the work done at the Bureau laboratory and will show, quantitatively the effects of different residual levels of aluminum or nitrogen, or manganese or copper on corrosion rates.

Jan 1, 1961

By Alla D. Mah

The energies of combustion of two carbides of tungsten and two carbides of molybdenum were measured , and the corresponding standard heats of combustion were derived . The results are as follows : WC : AH298.15 ( combustion ) = -285,940 ± 250 cal /mole , W₂ C: AH298.15 (combustion ) = -490,660 ± 400 cal /mole , Mo₂ C : AH298.15 ( combustion) = -439,350 ± 600 cal /mole , MoC : AH298.15 ( combustion ) = -269,800 ± 1,000 cal /mole . The combustion heats were combined with the heats of formation of the corresponding metal trioxides and carbon dioxide to obtain the following heats of formation : WC : AH298.15 ( formation ) = -9.6 ± 0.4 kcal /mole , WC: AH298.15 ( formation ) = -6.3 ± 0.6 kcal /mole , Mo₂ C : AH298.15 (formation) = -11.0 ± 0.7 kcal / mole , MoC : AH298.15 (formation ) = -2.4 ± 1.0 kcal /mole . The heats of combustion and formation of MoC are tentative .

Jan 1, 1963

By W. G. Messner

Pipelines for transporting crude oil and refined products in the United States totaled 189,982 miles on January 1, 1959. This mileage was less than a 1-percent increase from the 1956 total of 188,540 miles. During the three-year period (January 1956 - January 199), 14,886 miles of new pipe and 10,649 miles of secondhand pipe was laid. Pipe taken up in the same period was 24,093 miles. The facts regarding pipeline mileage were obtained by the Bureau of Mines from pipeline companies and information provided by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Crude-oil gathering lines, as of January 1959, were 40 percent of the United States pipeline mileage and totaled 75,182 miles, an increase of 1,656 miles during the three-year period. Crude-oil trunklines totaled 70,317 miles or 37 percent of the United States pipeline mileage, a decline of 8,277 miles from the 1956 total. Some of this loss is attributed to the converting of crude lines to refined products. Refined product lines in January 1959, totaled 44,483 or 23 percent of the United States mileage, an increase of 8,063 miles during the three-year period.

Jan 1, 1959

By Peter Grandone

Steel and iron pipe lined with cement to protect it against corrosion has been used in the municipal water systems of the New England States since about 1870. In most recent years, the petroleum industry adopted cement-lined pipe to forestall corrosion, particularly in those areas where large quantities of corrosive brines and hydrogen sulfide are associated with the oil produced. Many of the oil companies had on hand large quantities of corroded pipe, normally disposed of as scrap, which could be cleaned, lined with cement, and returned to service. It was soon learned that after the so-called scrap pipe was lined with cement much of it could serve fully as well as new cement-lined pipe. The demand for lining used pipe with cement resulted in the establishment of several processing, plants in the Mid-Continent oil-producing area. Today six cement-lining plants serve the areas three in Oklahoma and one each in Kansas, Texas, and Illinois. All of these plants have lined large quantities of used pipe for the brine-disposal systems of western Kansas, Illinois, and east Texas and also for the operators of water-flooding projects in northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas, where large quantities of brine and fresh water are being injected into the oil-bearing formations as a secondary oil-recovery method. Since war demands during the past 2 years have created an acute shortage of steel, the need of reclaiming used pipe for the expansion of oil-producing operations has become more evident than ever before. Thus the new industry (about 6 years old) - lining used pipe with cement - is saving large quantities of steel at a critical time by reclaiming used pipe and preventing further- corrosion.

Jan 1, 1945

By F. Matanzo

This guide considers only nine of the many wire rope terminations used in the mining industry so use of the information presented for terminations not specifically addressed can be done, but with some risk. The nine terminations considered are: Flemish Loop with Steel Sleeve & Thimble, Flemish Loop with Steel Sleeve, Wedge Socket, Swaged Socket, Turn Back Loop with Aluminum Sleeve & Thimble, Thimble Splice with Four Tucks, V-Bolt Clip with Thimble, Zinc Poured Socket, and Epoxy Resin Poured Socket. The guide uses pull test data, axial fatigue test data, and data on sensitivity to poor workmanship, to rank the nine terminations with respect to these performance measures. A selection procedure is suggested and illustrated with an example. Failure data is used to identify the common modes of failure of each termination and so help the inspector direct his attention to the likely location for a failure and describe what he should be looking for. The data on which this guide is based is included so that as new data becomes available, the ranking order can be adjusted accordingly.

Jan 1, 1978

By Sathit Tandanand

Horizontal displacements and ground strains induced by mine subsidence are significant information needed for calculating damage and developing precautions against subsidence effects on surface structures. To devise a simple method for determining the surface horizonal displacements and strains simultaneously with the subsidence prediction, the U.S. Bureau of Mines examined the significance of the tilt number, which is the proportionality constant in the relationship between the horizontal displacement and the slope of the subsidence profile. The ratio of the tilt number to the critical radius of the subsidence trough is identical to the ratio of the maximum possible horizontal displacement to the full subsidence, which is found to be constant in most European coalfields. If this ratio is known for a particular minesite in the United States, then horizontal displacement and ground strains can be readily obtained from the primary subsidence data.

Jan 1, 2010

By David E. Nicholson

This report investigates the mechanical behavior of fine soils in a lunar environment in engineering gravity-flow bins. The ultrahigh vacuum, absence of moisture, and a lunar gravity one-sixth that of earth gravity represents a unique environment, both advantageous and detrimental to these systems. On earth, moisture and gases contained in powder masses can be responsible for complex descriptions of gravity flow. Their absence appear to simplify the lunar soil behavior. However, simulation of the lunar gravity and vacuum complicates the development of experimental data for designing bins. The properties of a dry soil powder, its behavior under one-dimensional compression, and its torsional and direct shearing strength under earth atmosphere are described in part 1 of this paper. These properties provide the parameters for a finite-element analysis to optimize the design of bins, to be described by Dr. William Pariseau in part 2. Shear tests assess the failure criteria for the material. Compression tests provide modulus and (Ko) stress-ratio values from the loading portion of the compression cycle, duplicating the condition of a bin at rest with the discharge closed. During the unloading portion of the compression cycle (soil overconsolidated), the residual Ko values rise. It is postulated that this phenomenon creates a high-lateral stress in bins when they approach incipient flow. Assessment of the Ko value, overconsolidation ratio, and the void ratio state is proposed as a criterion to determine the flowability of powder.

Jan 1, 1971

By H. F. Yancey

A relatively large proportion of the coal produced in the state or Washington, especially in the coking coal areas is of fine size; hence washing by means of coal-washing tables to reduce the ash content is commonly practiced. For this reason the program of research in coal washing conducted jointly by the U. S. Bureau of mines and the College of Mines, University of Washington, has given special attention to the mechanism of the separation of coal from its impurities as affected by the coal-washing table with the object of

Jan 1, 1931

By A. G. Starliper

The report covers studies by the Bureau of Mines on the removal of metallic values in two waste products from the Longhorn tin smelter at Texas City, Tex. One product was a slag that contained tin, tungsten, iron, tantalum, and columbium. The other product was a spent acid solution that contained tin, tungsten, iron, lead, copper, zinc, and silver and that came from presmelting treatment of impure tin concentrates. Molten slag was treated with sulfur or sulfur compounds and with coke, calcium carbide, or gaseous reductants to form tin sulfide that volatilized from the charge and to reduce tungsten along with iron and silicon to form a carbon-bearing metallic layer. The metallic layer was treated by an oxidizing alkali roast and then was water-leached to extract the tungsten. The waste acid was used in other experiments to dissolve an iron-tin- tungsten alloy (hardhead) obtained by direct reduction of the slag. An insoluble fraction containing tungsten, silver, silicon, columbium, and tantalum was removed, and copper was cemented on metallic iron, Tin was recovered by cementation on zinc plates, and lead was precipitated by adding sulfate ion. Iron was precipitated by increasing the pH which left a solution containing principally zinc. Slabs of hardhead were electrolyzed in an electrolyte consisting of waste acid to plate out groups of metals at different pH?s. The time did not permit thorough exploration of this method of treatment.

Jan 1, 1962

By H. F. Yancey

A relatively large proportion of the coal produced 1n the State of Washington, especially in the coking coal areas is of fine size; hence washing by means or coal-washing tables to reduce the ash content is commonly practiced. For this reason the program of research in coal washing conducted jointly by the U. S. Bureau of Mines and the College of Mines, University of Washington, has given special attention to the mechanism or the separation of coal from its impurities as effected by the coal-washing table with the object of increasing its efficiency. Previous work has evaluated the role of stratification the influence of size, specific gravity and respective shapes of particles in the feed, and the affect of hindered-settling classification of the feed prior to tabling.

Jan 1, 1931

By Carl Rampacek, W. A. McKinney

The feasibility of leaching calcareous and siliceous oxidized copper ores by downward percolation with dilute acid was investigated in the laboratory and in a small continuous plant operated by the Federal Bureau of Mines . The crushed ore was leached in deep columns with solutions containing 1 or 5 percent sulfuric acid to dissolve the oxidized copper . Bench - scale laboratory tests on two calcareous ores from the same deposit indicated that a maximum copper extraction , about 72 percent , could be expected from heap leaching a feed as coarse as 1 inch . Laboratory tests on a siliceous ore showed that almost 70 percent of the copper could be extracted by leaching a 1 / 4 - inch feed . The bench - scale tests were supplemented by larger continuous runs wherein the copper was recovered from the leach liquors by precipitation on detinned scrap iron . Leaching the calcareous ore for approximately 10 days recovered 62 percent of the total copper . The sulfuric acid consumption was 9.6 pounds per pound of copper recovered . Treatment of the siliceous ore recovered 62.5 percent of the total copper in a 2.5 - day leach and the acid consumption was 3.7 pounds per pound of copper recovered . Cement copper products that assayed over 71 percent copper were obtained from the leach solutions by precipitation on scrap iron . The bench - scale and continuous tests demonstrated that downward percolation leaching of the calcareous ores was technically feasible but not economically practicable because of high acid consumption by the gangue . Leaching of the siliceous ore was rapid and the acid and water requirements were nominal . The downward percolation leach procedure is simple and requires a minimum of plant equipment .

Jul 1, 1960

By E. G. Noble

The effects of HBr concentration and temperature on the solubility and hydration state of AlBr3,' CoBr2, PbBr2, MnBr2, KBr, and NaBr were investigated by the Bureau of Mines. Saturated aqueous solutions of the AI, Pb, K, and Na bromides were sparged with HBr gas at 20°, 40°, and 60° C, and saturated solutions of Co and Mn bromides were sparged at 20° C. Increased HBr concentration caused decreased salt solubility because of the common ion effect for all the investigated bromides except PbBr2. Aqueous solubilities at 20° C were, in percent, 51.7 for AlBr3, 53.2 for CoBr2, 1.1 for PbBr2, 59.6 for MnBr2' 39.5 for KBr, and 47.4 for NaBr. At 60° C, the solubilities were, in percent, 53.3 for AlBr3, 2.2 for PbBr2' 46.0 for KBr, and 53.8 for NaBr. Solubilities in solutions sparged to HBr saturation at 20° C were, in percent, 0.5 for AlBr3, 42.0 for CoBr2, 32.2 for PbBr2, 21.0 for MnBr2, 0.6 for KBr, and 0.3 for NaBr. At 60° C, the solubilities at HBr saturation were, in percent, 1.8 for AlBr3, 41.4 for PbBr2, 1.3 for KBr, and 0.4 for NaBr. CoBr2 precipitated out to a minimum solubility of 27.2 pct at 28.7-pct-HBr concentration. Further increases in HBr concentration increased CoBr2 solubility because of the formation of bromide complexes. PbBr2 in-creased in solubility as HBr concentration increased.

Jan 1, 1988

By Jr. Sillers

This is the third report of investigations dealing with the application of electrolytic manganese to steel-foundry practice and the seventh in a series of reports dealing with tests to establish the technological acceptability of electrolytic manganese in the iron and steel industries. The work was carried out by Metallurgical Division of the Bureau of Mines as part of an extensive program for the development and utilization of domestic ores. The electrolytic manganese used in the tests was produced by the Bureau at its Boulder, City, Nev., pilot plant by the process developed by the Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1949

By K. K. Kelley, W. W. Weller

The heat capacities of four crystalline silicates of barium ( BaSiO3 , BaSiO4 , Ba Si¸0 , and BaSi₂0 ) and two crystalline silicates of strontium (SrSio and Sr₂Sio ) were measured over the temperature range from 51 ° to 298° K. The results were used to evaluate the entropies at 298.15 ° K. The entropy values were joined with known heats of formation to obtain the free energies of formation of the silicates with respect to their constituent oxides at 298.15 ° K.

Jan 1, 1964

By Bertha R. Klahold

"In response to numerous inquiries regarding tests and analyses of minerals and related inorganic materials; Bureau of Mines Information Circular 6999, ""Laboratories That Make Fire Assays, Analyses, and Tests on Ores, Minerals, Metals and Other Inorganic Substances,"" by C. W. Davis and M. W. von Bernewitz, was published .in 1938 and revised in 1939 (I. C. 6999R). In this paper on analytical and testing laboratories, the original text has been rewritten and expanded, and a table has been added, in which are listed laboratories prepared to offer a number of special testing services in addition to ordinary assays and chemical analyses. The arrangement of laboratories on, a geographical basis has been maintained.This circular is compiled as a public service, and none of the laboratories listed herein is recommended over any other,These lists were compiled from questionnaires sent to organizations whose work is connected with mineral and metallurgical testing. The response in general was very satisfactory, and the author takes this opportunity to express her appreciation to the officers of the listed laboratories for their cooperation.Acknowledgment is also made of the valuable assistance of the members of the technical staff particularly Morris Slaving/ of the Eastern Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines at College Park, Md., in the preparation of the questionnaire and technical descriptions.Many mineral samples are sent to government agencies in the National Capital with the request that they be assayed or chemically analyzed. It should be emphasized that there is no place in Washington D. C. where assays and quantitative analyses are made for the public b the Federal Government.Virtually all of the States maintain a bureau of mines, a geological survey, or some similar organization, frequently at the State University, where minerals found by residents of the State will be identified free of charge. Usually, a charge is made for assays. Specific tests, as on clays, are made by some of these offices.The Federal Bureau of Mines, although it attempts to avoid duplication of services rendered by State Bureaus, is always glad to give advice as to prospective markets. It does not compete with private assayers and chemists, but with respect to samples sent to its field laboratories, it does offer to identify them as far as this can be done by inspection and simple optical and chemical tests. This examination is usually sufficient to indicate whether the material has commercial value, or at least if the expense of an assay would be warranted. Except in connection with its own technical investigations, no assays or other special tests are made by the Bureau of Mines.The Federal Geological Survey and the National Museum also make simple tests of specimens as a public service. Neither of these bureaus nor the Bureau of Mines, however, can afford to render such services on long suites of specimens submitted by mineral dealers, well drillers, or others, when such work can be done regularly by commercial concerns."

Oct 1, 1949

By H. D. Jacobs

A process for recovering both iron and manganese from four manganiferous ores of the Cuyuna Range was evaluated. It comprised: (1) Low-temperature gaseous reduction to convert nonmagnetic iron minerals to magnetite and manganic minerals to manganous oxide, (2) acid leaching to extract manganese, and (3) magnetic separation to reclaim iron from the leach residue. Iron recoveries from the magnetic products ranged from 70 percent to 90 percent; manganese recoveries from leach filtrates ranged from 75 percent to 95 percent. Two ores, from the Hillcrest and South Alstead properties, yielded magnetic products considered adequate for use as blast furnace feed. Although good yields of manganese were attained on all ores, appreciable iron accompanied the manganese into solution. Previous work, however, has shown that this iron can be precipitated almost quantitatively under autoclave oxygen pressure with very little loss of manganese.

Jan 1, 1970

By Charles A. Seitz

This Bureau of Mines report describes a chromatographic method for analyzing impurities in helium that utilizes a helium carrier gas contain-ing 25 to 30 ppm Ne. An example of the effect of trace amounts of nitrogen, methane, and moisture on the detector's response is shown. The added neon in the carrier does away with irregularities of the analysis which were experienced when the carrier contained up to 3 ppm Ne. The addition of 25 to 30 ppm Ne causes a loss of sensitivity, but the re-maining sensitivity is adequate for routine analyses. The high-neon carrier allows positive and more linear responses for eight impurities: neon, hydrogen, argon, oxygen, nitrogen, methane, carbon dioxide, and ethane. Neon concentration levels of 0.02 to 125 ppm in helium carrier gases were studied. The high-neon carrier has been in successful rou-tine use in Bureau of Mines helium facilities since October 1981.

Jan 1, 1985

By J. W. Paul

This circular is one of a series of papers4 on coal-mining methods and costs which are being prepared through the sponsorship of the U. S. Bureau of Mines for the purpose of presenting information on present mining methods and certain features which govern costs, safety, and conservation. The methods employed are influenced by natural local conditions with respect to the thickness, character, and dip of the coal bed, the nature of the roof and thickness of the overbearing strata, and the means employed for roof support and its control.

Jan 1, 1929

By M. H. Chetrick

Since 1945, a commercial-scale pilot plant for the gasification of lignite has been operated by the Bureau of Mines at Grand Forks, N. Dak. The description, operation, and objectives of this pilot plant have already been described in previous reports (6, 7, 8). Although the experimental data obtained from the operation of the externally heated retort have been tabulated and summarized (1, 7), few studies have been made in the correlation of these data. The purpose of the present investigation was to review the data taken in tests of the lignite-gasification pilot plant and to correlate the gas-composition data in terms of their basic factors.

Jan 1, 1950

By L. F. Heising

The Bureau of Mines evaluated 191 composites from the central Mesabi Range, Minn., chiefly by reductive roasting and magnetic separation. After reductive roasting and magnetic separation at minus 325 mesh, 28 composites produced concentrates that contained an average of 66.0 percent iron with less than 10 percent silica. Recovery of contained iron was over 90 percent. Natural magnetic material in excess of 5 percent was present in 142 composites. Trial flotation tests were used to evaluate three samples unresponsive to reductive roasting and magnetic separation procedures, and satisfactory concentrates having low silica contents (averaging 6.6 percent) were achieved.

Jan 1, 1965