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By William M. Nabors

As a part of a program to promote conservation and efficient utilization of petroleum resources, Bureau of Mines engineers are studying secondary oil-recovery projects in the United States. Published reports that set forth the pertinent facts of these operations help others to profit by the experience gained. This report presents the results of a study of secondary-recovery methods used in Kentucky by the Cumberland Petroleum Co. on its L. C. Bailey lease, Oil Springs pool, Magoffin County, Ky. This is believed to be the first water-flooding project in eastern Kentucky (fig. 1).

Jan 1, 1958

By L. E. Green

For shortwall mining to be profitable, the additional capital investment of about $1 million for shortwall roof supports must be offset by decreased total operating costs and/or increased coal production. The Bureau of Mines therefore conducted a demonstration project to compare shortwall and room-and-pillar mining. Daily two-shift production from the bureau of Mines-Beth-Elkhorn Corp. shortwall demonstration n project averaged 975 tons of raw coal, compared with 905 tons from a room-and-pillar unit operating undo r similar conditions. The estimated direct operating costs for the shortwall and room-and-pillar unite were $4.21 and $4.03 pier ton, respectively. The profitability of the shortwall system was found to depend not only on the increased depreciation cost of the powered roof supports and the decreased cost of supplies and materials but also on such factors as the fixed and variable indirect costs and the selling price of the coal. Shortwall mining was demonstrated to be a viable alternative to room-and-pillar mining.

Jan 1, 1977

By K. Robert Dorman

Spray-applied polyurethane foam was used to insulate the walls of heated rooms excavated in permafrost. The experiment was designed to determine whether polyurethane foam can be sprayed successfully on frozen ground under freezing conditions and to measure the effectiveness of the insulation in maintaining--at elevated temperatures for an extended period--a room excavated in frozen ground. Two manufacturers' foams were investigated in the laboratory. Subsequently, one of the foams was employed to insulate two small rooms, one in frozen gravel and one in frozen silt, in an experimental tunnel belonging to the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (USACRREL) near Fairbanks, Alaska. Following insulation, heat was introduced into the two rooms. Heat migration across the insulating barrier into the walls, in addition to wall closures, was monitored over an 8-month period. The results show that polyurethane foam can be successfully sprayed on frozen ground in below-freezing temperatures. Given this type of insulation, together with winter cold to supercool the surrounding ground, it should be possible to maintain a shaft or heated room in permafrost for several years.

Jan 1, 1970

By T. E. Green, E. F. Spano, W. J. Campbell

A combined ion exchange X- ray spectrographic method was evaluated for the determination of 11 metallic elements in high - purity tungsten : Aluminum , calcium , chromium , cobalt , copper , iron , magnesium , manganese , nickel , titanium , and zinc . Copper , nickel , and manganese in the 5- to 100 - microgram range ( 1 to 20 parts per million based on 5 - gram samples of tungsten ) , calcium in the 10- to 100 - microgram range , and cobalt in the 5- to 20 - microgram range can be determined within an accuracy of ± 10 percent of the amount present . Limits of detection of these elements are 0.05 to 0.14 microgram . The overall method was unsatisfactory for the determination of aluminum , chromium , iron , magnesium , titanium and zinc in tungsten .

Jan 1, 1964

Southeast Alaska's mining industry has come to life after nearly 50 years of relative dormancy. Commencement of operations of the Greens Creek Mine in 1989 marked a turning point in the industry as the first large scale mining operation in the region since closure of the Alaska-Juneau Mine in 1944. The Greens Creek Mine is now the nation's largest silver producer. Other large scale mining projects are now on the drawing board, including development of the Kensington Mine and reopening the Alaska-Juneau Mine, which could become North America's largest underground gold mine. The region's mining industry includes more than these large scale projects, however. For example, a significant level of mineral exploration occurs each summer in Southeast Alaska. In addition, mining operations in British Columbia and Yukon Territory are generating jobs and income in Southeast Alaska.

Jan 1, 1992

By R. R. Allen

Gieseler plastometer tests were performed on eight western coking coals at retort - immersion depths ranging from 2 to 3-3 /4 inches (measured to the center of the coal charge ) . Increased maximum fluidities were associated with greater retort - immersion depths , the most pronounced increases being observed on highly swelling coals when tested at 3-3 /4 inches . The maximum fluidity of one of these coals when tested at 3-3 /4 inches was 146 percent greater than that observed at 24 inches . Retort - immersion depth had no significant effect on the temperatures of initial softening , fusion , maximum fluidity , end of fusion , and solidification .

Jan 1, 1964

By E. D. Gradner

During 1924 a number of lives were lost and other men incapacitated by the toxic effects of gases produced in blasting in massive sulphides. In one mine, three men working in a raise were caught by gases from blasting a drift round in massive sulphide on the level. The round in the drift was shot ahead of time and it was necessary for the three men to travel through the gases to the intake air course. Two of the men lost their lives, and the third was injured, apparently for life. Other men at this same mine have been caught in the gases at blasting time and seriously injured. At a second mine, the gases from blasting in sulphides appear to be very dangerous, and it was necessary to send a number of men who were caught in such gases to the hospital. One man who was seriously gassed has not recovered in over a year is time. Another man similarly gassed soon died of influenza.

Jan 1, 1926

By Rogers F. Davis

The Bureau of Mines developed a new method for the determination of oxides of nitrogen in diesel exhaust gas. The procedure, a modification of the Saltzman method, uses a NO2 absorbent for the diesel exhaust gas; the colorless absorbent becomes purple on contact with N~. When used properly this procedure gives satisfactory results in 2 hours, whereas the standard phenoldisulfonic acid method required approximately 8 hours. The new method is not satisfactory for determination of oxides of nitrogen in the overrich fuel to air ratio range.

Jan 1, 1966

By M. J. Kovalik, D. E. Wolfson, F. Fischler

Plastometric tests were made to determine the maximum thickness of the plastic layer for different U.S. coals . The effect of test variables on the maximum thickness of the plastic layer was studied . The values for the maximum thickness of the plastic layer were found to be related to the Gieseler maximum fluidity , plastic temperature range , free swelling index , and other plastic properties of coals . Only a general relationship was observed between the plastometric parameters obtained in these tests and the coking properties of coal .

Jan 1, 1964

By Richard G. Sandberg

The Bureau of Mins, U.S. Department of the Interior, is investigating a hydrometallurgical procedure to conserve cobalt, nickel, and copper by recovering the metals from the matte byproducts of smelting Missouri lead ores. For want of adequate processing technology the mattes are now either unmarketable or marginally so. The procedure involves leaching with manganese dioxide and sulfuric acid to obtain copper, nickel, cobalt, lead, and manganese sulfates, and elemental sulfur as expressed by the following reaction: MS + MnO2 + 2H2SO4 ? MSO4 + MnS04 + S° + 2H2O, where M = Cu, Ni, Co, and Pb. The leach solutions, containing near theoretical amounts of sulfuric acid and manganese dioxide at 85° to 100° C, convert up to 98 pct of the cobalt, nickel, and copper in the mattes to sulfates in less than 2 hr. As they are formed, the cobalt, nickel, and copper sulfates are dissolved leaving a residue of lead sulfate, lead, sulfur, and gangue. The soluble metals are recovered from the leach solutions by caustic and sulfide precipitation, and the residue returned to the smelter for lead recovery. The manganese can be reclaimed from the spent leach liquor as manganese oxide and recycled to leaching.

Jan 1, 1979

By V. E. Homme

Low- and high-temperature reduction techniques were employed by the Bureau of Mines in study of conditions favorable to the formation of massive titanium crystals. '1,1,2 low-temperature method, feeding molten sodium to solidified titanium lower chloride-sodium chloride, produced higher quality and high quantity crystalline metal. The percentage of crystalline titanium was increased with increasing reactor diameter, melt depth, and titanium dichloride concentration. The high-temperature technique, feed molten sodium to melts above 8000 C, producing needle-type crystals of lower quality and with less consistent results than the low-temperature method. Layers of titanium foil, sponge, fine needles, wool, and crusts of sin-tered granules were formed during the earl, -art of the low-temperature reduction, and massive crystals were produced beneath this barrier in the latter part of the reduction. Crystalline titanium having an average hardness of Bhn 76 and representing 58 percent of the total titanium was obtained. Lamellar crystals up to 1 1/2 inches long with a hardness as low as Bhn 54 were also produced. A second-stage reduction for reclaiming titanium from offgrade sponge is described. Titanium produced by this method was comparable in quality to that from sodium reduction of titanium tetrachloride.

Jan 1, 1966

By T. T. Campbell

Although secondary recovery of lead and lead-tin alloys has been common practice in the United States during recent years, there is little published in-formation concerning recovery techniques. Available information does not cover metal recovery from wet dross skimmings. This investigation by the Bureau of Mines was undertaken to develop techniques that would allow lead-tin alloys to be recovered from wet dross skimmings containing large amounts of zinc chloride. A process was developed, on a laboratory scale, for recovering lead-tin alloys from wet solder dross skimmings. Straight water leaching, either with or without a second leaching operation carried out with a Na2C03 addition for removing chloride, produced a dross that could be smelted without further treatment. Overall recoveries averaging 92 percent of the metal values in the dross were obtained in the form of lead-tin alloys, which had an average tin content of 16 percent and lead content of 84 percent. The recovered alloy contained less than 0.02 percent zinc, as determined by both chemical and spectrographic analyses.

Jan 1, 1956

By H. P. LeVan

Research was conducted to examine the feasibility of extracting manganese from Georgia umber ore by a three-stage continuous sulfuric acid-ferrous sulfate pickle liquor leaching process. A continuous cyclic process for treating the umber was operated successfully, using a synthetic solution simulating a ferrous sulfate fortified anolyte solution discharged from a manganese electrolytic cell as the leaching medium. Leaching efficiency based on removal of the manganese from the ore ranged from 83 to 89 percent for all systems tested.

Jan 1, 1965

By Michael D. Balen

This Bureau of Mines open file report is one in a series of reports written about the Valdez Creek Mining District (VCM D) as a result of the continuing Bureau of Mines mining district evaluation program. This report presents the results of order-of-magnitude mining feasibility studies. The mining feasibility studies were conducted for mineral deposit models that were based on real and hypothetical deposits that occur in the VCMD. A total of 6b mine models were developed for application to the mineral deposit models. The goal of the feasibility study was to determine the monetary value per unit of minable ore that would cause the simulated cash flow for each of 66 mine models to achieve certain pre-defined rates of return for the invested capital.

Jan 1, 2011

By H. A. Doerner

For the past three or four years attention has been attracted to the deposits of lead vanadate in the Goodsprings , Nevada , district . Some ore running as high as 9 per cent 205 has been produced , but most of it runs from 0.5 to 3 per cent . Only a little ore , and that of the richer sort , has been shipped , since the low- grade ore will not stend the cost of shipment and no concentration mill has been available . Preliminary experiments indicate that chemical treatment of the low- grade ore without concentration is not feasible . Its treatment therefore involves two distinct problems ; first , mechanical concentration ; and second , a smelting or chemical treatment to obtain the lead and vanadium in marketable form . Upon this basis the work has been conducted . The writer wishes to acknowledge the excellent work done by J. T. Norton and Virgil Miller on table concentration and by J. E. Conley , who suggested and did preliminary work on the direct smelting method . Many helpful suggestions were received from Dr. S. C. Lind and John Gross of the Bureau of Mines . The ores were furnished by Mr. Frank Williams and Mr. James Ewing .

Jan 1, 1923

By Howard D. Jacobs

A bulk sample of oxidized taconite taken from the western Mesabi Range was evaluated by the Bureau of Mines using the Bureau-developed selective flocculation-desliming-cationic (or anionic) flotation process. The raw ore sample containing 32.3 pct Fe was treated by both cationic and anionic flotation. Using the cationic system the concentrates averaged. 37.2 wt-pct of the feed and contained 62.8 pct Fe and 4.7 pet Si02 with an iron recovery of 72.3 pet. With the anionic system, concentrates averaged 37.7 wt-pet of the feed and contained 63.0 pct Fe and 5.3 pct 8i02 with an iron recovery of 73.5 pct. A comparison of reagent costs showed that the cationic process cost 144.1 cents per long ton of crude ore and the anionic process 178.7 cents per long ton of crude ore. Reclaimed water comprised 86 pct of the total water requirement for anionic flotation and 88 pct for cationic flotation. The ore used in this study was one of three samples representing about 3.25 billion tons of oxidized taconite containing from 32 to 36 pct feed iron. Previous study had indicated that selective flocculation-desliming-cationic flotation would produce concentrates from the other two samples of 61.7 pct Fe and 5.1 pct Si02 at 67-pct Fe recovery, and 63.5 pct Fe and 4.3 pet Si02 at 8S-pct Fe recovery. By developing a successful treatment for these ores, the Bureau has insured the availability of technology for processing an amount of raw iron ore which, by itself, would supply U.S iron needs for 50 to 75 years at expected consumption rates.

Jan 1, 1981

By R. O. Dannenberg

A metallic displacement process, utilizing easily available steel wool or steel window screen, was devised and successfully used for the recovery of silver from waste photographic fixing solutions. Laboratory and prolonged commercial-scale testing established that the iron filament type unit will efficiently precipitate silver, as a high-grade sludge, from acidic waste photographic fixing solutions ranging in grade from less than 1 to over 10 grams of silver per liter. Data and design information are presented to facilitate the construction and operation of a practical unit of any desired size. A smelting process for recovering pure silver from precipitated sludge containing 27 to 80 percent silver was devised.

Jan 1, 1968

By John H. Soule

The Royal John mine was examined in November 1942 by a mining engineer of the Bureau of Mines, who proposed development of the Royal John and other properties in the area. Geologists of the U. S. Geological Survey studied the area in 1943 and 1944 and made definite recommendations. Also, in 1943 the Peru Miring Co. mapped the Royal John and did considerable diamond drilling. The Bureau of Mines started the Royal John portion of a project pertaining to the general district in April 1944. This project was completed in Juno 1945. The work, consisting of diamond drilling, was supervised by Robert O. Hill, mining engineer, and the results were published in Report of investigations 3904, Exploration of Grey Eagle, Grandview and Royal John Claims, Grant County, N. WIC. In 1947 and 1948 the Royal John was re-examined by a Bureau engineer, and additional development to increase the reserves of low-grade lead-zinc ore was proposed. This project was started in August 1948 and completed in Juno 1949.

Jan 1, 1950

By X. C. Shi

Bacterial mutagenicity and mammalian cell chromosomal and DNA damage in vitro assays were performed on a diesel exhaust particulate material (DPM) standard in two preparations: as an organic solvent extract, and as an aqueous dispersion in a simulated pulmonary surfactant. U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology DPM SRM 2975 expressed mutagenic activity in the Salmonella reversion assay, and for in vitro genotoxicity to mammalian cells as micronucleus induction and as DNA damage in both preparations: as an acetone extract of the DPM mixed into dimethylsulfoxide, and as a mixture of whole DPM in a dispersion of dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline. Dispersion in surfactant was used to model the conditioning of DPM depositing on the deep respiratory airways of the lung. DPM solid residue after acetone extraction was inactive when assayed as a surfactant dispersion in the micronucleus induction assay, as was surfactant dispersion of a respirable particulate carbon black. In general, a given mass of the DPM in surfactant dispersion expressed greater activity than the solvent extract of an equal mass of DPM.

Jan 1, 2009

By Kenneth M. Earl

In its investigation of deposits of strategic minerals, the Bureau of Mines did some development drilling at the New Galena Deposit in an endeavor to find an additional source of supply of lead. In Bucks County, lead and zinc minerals have been found in shales over a largo area west and northwest of Doylestown. Considerable mining has been done in the vicinity of New Galena on the North Branch of Noshaminy Creek, 3 miles northwest of Doylestown. It has not been possible to obtain a satisfactory history of the New Galena mine, as there is much disagreement in statements. Most of the mining was done in open pits. Two shafts were sunk to shallow depth; one of these became part of the main pit' which is 256 foot long, 50 to 75 feet wide, and 20 to 44 feet deep. Small pits 8 to 10 foot square wore sunk on the ore zone, which extends some 1450 feet to the southwest. The rock containing the minerals is either black or gray shale. The gray material closely resembles limestone. The following minerals have been reported from the mine: quartz, ankerite, calcite, galena, sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and bornite. Some of the galena has yielded 10 to 15 ounces of silver and 10 cents in gold per ton. The average grade of the ore as mined is not known. To investigate the downward extension of the ore shoot, the Bureau drilled two holes aggregating 373.9 feet, No additional ore was developed by this work.

Jan 1, 1950