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By F. J. Perzak

The Bureau of Mines conducted a flammability study of plastic ventilation ducts. Six rigid 16-in-diam fiberglass-reinforced plastic ducts from five manufacturers were examined using laboratory-scale, large-scale, and full-scale fire tests. The laboratory-scale tests included the American Society for Testing and Materials E162 radiant panel test, the E2863 oxygen index test, and the standardized small-scale flammability test (S3FT) developed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, and replicated by the Bureau of Mines. Ten-foot lengths of the same ducts were also subjected to a large-scale vertical fire test, and 20-to 30-ft lengths were tested in a full-scale in-mine fire test at the Bureau's Lake Lynn Laboratory mine. The data from the laboratory-scale radiant panel test and oxygen index test indicated that the ducts were fire-resistant, However, five of the six ducts failed the S3FT and vertical fire tests, and four of the ducts failed the full-scale in-mine tests with flame propagation rates that ranged from 3 to 10 ft/min. The results indicate the need for improved fire-resistant plastic ducts. The good agreement between the S3FT re-sults and the vertical and full-scale tests show that the S3FT provides a good indication of the flammability of fiberglass-reinforced plastic ducting under realistic fire conditions.

Jan 1, 1987

The purpose of the contract was to develop an improved coal mine dust sampler whose electrical-to-mechanical energy conversion efficiency would be superior to that of the presently available equipment. The electrical to (pressure) X (volume) conversion efficiency directly affects the size and weight of the air samplers. At least half of the mass of present equipment is composed of the rechargeable batteries. Any increase in efficiency will allow this mass to be reduced or the flow rote to be increased.

Jan 1, 1974

By George K. Schenck

This Bureau of Mines publication describes and evaluates a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) based end-use data system for minerals that is designed to link the demand for minerals to economic activity in commercial uses. The new data system is two-dimensional. The first dimension of technical product classes (TPC's) measures the consumption of minerals in major primary intermediate products. The second dimension measures the consumption of these TPC's in SIC end-use sectors in sufficient detail to identify the major determinants of demand for each TPC. Intercomodity comparisons are achieved at the level of SIC two-digit major groups. The methodology was developed so that all available sources of information from Government and industry can be utilized at minimum cost. This information will be supplemented with additional data to be obtained by modifying existing Bureau of Mines canvasses so as to elicit additional quantitative responses from mineral producers. The new data system is expected to improve significantly the ability to forecast demand for minerals, and provide an information base that would, for the first time ever, permit resolution of such questions as trends in substitution among materials and the intensity-of-use of materials in end-use sectors. For the 42 TPC?s identified in the report, data are available for the new system from current sources or, except for three TPC?s that require new canvasses, can be obtained by modification of existing Bureau canvasses.

Jan 1, 1982

By T. M. Barczak

Longwall tailgates in coal mines are often subject to severe mining induced loading and deformation. Innovative tailgate supports have been developed over the years to provide safe and economical access and a ventilation pathway at the tailgate. The support capacity and yield capabilities of the supports need to be matched to the loading imposed by the surrounding rock mass. The ground response curve can be used to represent the rock mass response to mining and its effect on support systems. The FLAC finite difference code was used to supplement field results by simulating a longwall tailgate and the associated ground response. The ground response curve is developed by modeling tailgate excavations with different internal support pressures and recording the resulting convergence. Ground response curves are developed for two typical longwalls operating in the Pittsburgh seam with weak and strong immediate roof. An additional model is presented in which the effect of weak overburden strata is simulated. The ground response is shown to be significantly affected by the strength of the immediate roof as well as the main roof. The importance of yield capacity of standing support is demonstrated. Gob height and compaction are found to affect the amount of convergence in the tailgate. The potential exists to develop site specific tailgate design curves by combining model results with field observations.

By F. A. Rutledge

The Batesville district in north central Arkansas is one of the important sources of manganese ore and ferruginous manganese ore in the United States, with a history of production dating back to 1849. From studies by the Federal Geological Survey, it was recognized that the district probably still contains substantial reserves of low-grade ore. It was natural, therefore, that the deposits in this area should be among the first investigated by the Bureau of Mines under the Strategic Materials Act of June 1939, by which the Bureau was authorized to explore domestic deposits of strategic minerals, at that time designated as those of antimony, chromium, manganese, mercury, nickel, tin, and tungsten. The field work of the Bureau of Mines in the Batesville district was done in two distinct phases. Under project 308, active from August 1940 to June 1941, carbonate-oxide ores were investigated at five separate areas in which 100 trenches, test pits, shafts, and edits aggregating 4,364 linear feet were excavated and 839 samples were taken and assayed. Under project 323, in progress from February 1941 to January 1942, wad deposits were explored at 10 separate areas by 408 prospect shafts, churn-drill holes, and bucket-drill holes aggregating 23,680 linear feet from which 285 samples were taken and assayed. Processes for beneficiating the wad ores were investigated at ore-testing laboratories of the Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1952

The strippable reserves of bituminous coal and lignite in the United States were calculated in accordance with the prevailing conditions of seam thickness and depth of overburden in each of the several coal-producing areas of the Nation. Within defined limits of seam thickness and depth of overburden, it is estimated that there was a remaining strippable resource of 118 billion tons of raw bituminous coal and lignite as of January 1, 1968. Because of topography, natural and manmade features, and other limitations, only 45 billion tons of the resource are strippable reserves. Of this, 32 billion tons is considered low-sulfur (less than 1 percent), 4 billion tons is medium-sulfur (1 to 2 percent), and 9 billion tons is high-sulfur (over 2 percent) coal. Owing to a cleaning loss affecting that portion of strip coal that is mechanically cleaned, the 45 billion tons of strippable reserves are reduced to 39.6 billion tons of marketable coal. A brief discussion is given for each coal-producing State, summarizing past and present production, historical background, and outlook. Appendix A contains reserve data by State, county, seam, and sulfur content. Appendix B contains the general information and requirements necessary to comply with the current strip mining laws covering 20 States.

Jan 1, 1971

By Kenneth H. Johnston

Records show that waterflooding was tried in Osage County as early as 1934, but it was not economically important until a large unitized flood in the North Burbank field was begun in 1950. Development was rapid and by the end of 1960, there were 70 active water flood projects and 16 active pressure-maintenance projects in the County. The locations and status of the water-flood and pressure-maintenance projects in Osage County on December 31, 1960 are shown in figure 1, and information pertaining to these projects as of July 1, 1960 is given in table 1. For the past several years, Bureau of Mines petroleum engineers have arranged tours of selected waterflooding projects for the spring meeting of the Kansas-Oklahoma Water flood Association. These tours are conducted to demonstrate unique operating methods and new field equipment and to provide additional opportunities for exchanging information. Each of these tours has been supplemented by a published report describing in detail the projects visited. This report has been prepared for distribution during the 1961 spring tour of three waterflooding projects and a pressure-maintenance project in Osage County, Okla. (fig. 2).

Jan 1, 1961

By Paul Hatmaker

Lime was a highly useful commodity thousands of years before the simple chemistry of its manufacturing process was known. The employment of lime for agriculture, building, and even certain essentially chemical purposes is so old that its origin is among the unrecorded details of man's first ventures into the manufacture and use of prepared substances. Lime is a most versatile material and consequently has come to be widely utilized in modern civilization. Immediately before the depression of the early 1930's the annual production of lime in the United States was more than 4 million tons, valued at 33 to 42 mil-million dollars. This output was sold to many industries, so many that mere enumeration becomes tedious.

Jan 1, 1934

By J. Dean Warner

From 1984 through 1987, the Bureau of Mines investigated numerous prospects and new discoveries of columbium, rare-earth elements (REE), uranium, zirconium, and other metals associated with the multi-phased peralkaline granite at Bokan Mountain, southeastern Alaska. This report summarizes the mineral evaluations and estimates indicated and inferred resources for those prospects containing significant tonnage and grade. A total of approximately 96.2 MM lb Cb205 (43 pct of the tonnage at a grade exceeding 0.125 pct Cb205), and 11.8 MM lb U308, 27.9 MM lb Th02, 133.0 MM lb Y203, 637.6 MM lb ZrO2, and 241 MM lb REO are estimated to be contained within nine deposits totalling 37.8 million tons (at least 80 pct of resource tonnage also exceeds 0.5 pct Y203 + REO). Generally, half of the REO content is composed of the heavy yttrium subgroup. Several deposits also contain beryllium and tantalum; 2.1 MM lb of Ta205 and 8.9 MM lbs of BeO were estimated. These estimates would likely be substantially increased with additional exploration. Four deposit types were investigated; shear zones and fracture-related deposits, pegmatites, mineralized dikes, and placers. Mineralized dikes contain most of the beryllium, columbium, tantalum, yttrium, zirconium, and REE resources, whereas shear zones and fracture-related deposits (Ross-Adams mine) contain the principal of the uranium resource. Pegmatites are similarly mineralized as are dike deposits, and contain low levels of gold. Placer potential is suggested, but no deposits were found.

Jan 1, 2011

By Paul H. Lu

This Bureau of Mines report summarizes the analysis and eveluation of the field measurement results of a comprehensive ground control study conducted in a mechanized longwall coal mine in West Virginia. Emphasis is placed on the three basic ground control parameters: ground pressure, ground movement, and geomechanical properties. Specific topics include premining ground pressures, front-abutment pressure in the longwall panel, histories of pillar loading, differential roof-strata movement and bed separation, differential floor strata movement, entry roof-to-floor convergence, in situ moduli of rigidity of coal seam and roof and floor strata, and mechanical properties of coal and coal measures rocks.

Jan 1, 1985

By James E. Hill

Tremendous improvements in mining technology have been witnessed during the past 100 years. For example, before 1860 all blastholes were drilled manually and blasting was done with low-energy black-powder. During the 1860's both the pneumatic rock drill and high-energy dynamite were introduced, ushering in an era of mining mechanization that has steadily progressed since that time. Today, with the rapid implementation of the latest advances in communication science, mining technology is moving into a new era that goes beyond mechanization as such. Transistors, transducers, scanners, telemetry, and the like, all terms largely derived from the new communication sciences, add up to what is popularly know as automation-the communication of machine with machine. Automation is now playing an important role in selected parts of the mining process, such as hoisting, hydraulic roof supports, and underground surface locomotive haulage and belt conveyor systems. But this year marked the first attempt to auto-mate the total mining process with the commencement of production at the British National Coal Boards Bevercotes mine. If this full-scale experiment proves successful, it could lead towards other fully automated mines in both Britain and other parts of the world. This decade, there-fore, could be considered the one that provided the foundation for the mines of the future.

Jan 1, 1966

By James Westfield

Drilling for roof bolting has created a new dust problem for the coal-mining industry. Drilling is inherently dusty, and control of dust produced by drilling vertical or nearly vertical holes is much more difficult than control of that produced by drilling flat or down holes.4/ Also, the dust produced by roof drilling differs in composition from that produced by drill-fur, or cutting the coal face because it contains a significantly greater amount of free silica and therefore presents a greater potential hazard of silicosis. Roof bolting has been practiced successfully in the mines of the St. Joseph Lead Co. in southeastern Missouri for over 20 years, but it was not until 1947 and 1948 that large-scale roof-bolting experiments were conducted in coal mines.5/ Although the need for dust control in conjunction with roof drilling was recognized from the beginning, the development and acceptance of roof bolting progressed so rapidly during 1949 and 1950 that solution of the dust problem lagged behind other engineering phases of the technique.

Jan 1, 1951

By M. F. Bucek

This report summarizes the activities performed and the results achieved during a two-phased investigation of the technical and economic feasibility of disposing of coal mine refuse underground in active mines, Three coal regions in the United States that are most severely affected by coal refuse disposal problems are identified: southwestern Pennsylvania, southern West Virginia, southwestern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. For each region, a conceptual mine model is presented that describes the geologic conditions, mining methods, and environmental circumstances typical of that region. The model mine that was prepared for the Kanawha Region in Southwestern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky was selected as the basis for developing alternative conceptual designs of underground disposal systems in the second phase of this investigation. Procedures used in selecting the regions and in modeling typical mines are described in Part I of the report. Part II of the report describes existing methods for stowing refuse underground, presents three alternative conceptual designs of stowing system that would be appropriate for the model mine postulated in the first phase of the study, discusses technical characteristics and environmental effects relative to the various systems, and evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of the three alternative disposal system designs. Comparisons costs among systems and with costs or surface disposal are presented.

Jan 1, 1980

By Hillary W. St. Clair

Mining activity began in colonial times with ironmaking operations scattered along the eastern seaboard. Iron furnaces and forges manufactured iron implements from bog iron ores using charcoal from the extensive forests as a fuel. Lead ores were mined in the Mississippi Valley and copper ores in the Lake Superior region. However, the real beginning of the American mining industry did not occur until the 19th century. The history of American mining is organized around three epochal events. The first was the discovery of gold in California in 1848, which marked the beginning of a period of apprenticeship in mining and metallurgical techniques. The second was the discovery of the fabulous Comstock Lode in western Nevada in 1859, which expanded mining throughout the Far West and led to large-scale underground mining and the development of smelting techniques for lead, silver, and copper ores. The third event was the building of a transcontinental rail-road system after the Civil War, which brought about the consolidation of the industry from a large number of independent mines, mills, and smelters into integrated operations run by large corporations. Thus developed the mining industry that today supplies the energy and critical materials for the great-est industrial complex the world has known.

Jan 1, 1977

By Manuel Gomez

Bituminous coals having maximum fluidity values in the 40- to 25,400-dial-divisions-per-minute (ddpm) range were carbonized in a continuous, entrained-bed reactor. Carbonization was conducted in an 8-inch diameter, vertical reactor at temperatures from 955° to 1,345° F and at air-to-coal ratios ranging from 4.63 to 16.12 scf/lb of moisture-and ash-free coal charged. Carbonization rates from about 118 to 360 lb/hr, as-carbonized basis, were examined. It was demonstrated that carbonization temperature and air-to-coal ratio must exceed minimum values for continuous operation. Within the operating conditions discussed, highly fluid bituminous coal was carbonized to produce tar and nonagglomerated char. The yield of tar ranged from 21.3 to 38.9 gallons per ton and the char yield ranged from 1,109 to 1,563 pounds per ton, all units expressed on a moisture-and ash-free basis. It was demonstrated that the maximum fluidity and the average size of the coal along with the air-to-coal ratio and the carbonization temperature act together to influence the carbonization product yields and certain properties of the products. Prediction equations were developed from the data for product yields and selected properties of the char, tar, and gas.

Jan 1, 1968

By Zsuzsanna Zborovszky

[Certain chapters of the tentative document entitled, "Test Requirements for instruments & Apparatus to be Considered for MESA Intrinsically Safe Certification" are evaluated and supporting data are presented on certain key issues with the purpose of helping the regulatory agency in improving the above document. The subjects discussed in detail are: hot wire ignition with W and BeCu wires; the most sensitive methane-air :and propane air ratio; the ignition limits for inductive-resistive circuits in 8.3°; methane-air mixtures in the 24-OV, 100 mH-2 [ ]H range, the resistive ignition limit as a special case when L ? 0; the capacitive-resistive ignition limit representing a four ,dimensional problem is analyzed and discussed in general and the variation of the ignition limit using Vo and/or r2 as a parameter are determined experimentally. The ignition limit is also determined for the [r1 ,~ r2] = 0 case ("capacitor alone") and for the most dangerous capacitive resistive circuit combination. The ignition limits are below the limits proposed in the document. A survey of the different factors influencing the ignition is made as to their suitability to provide a constant safety factor. It is shown that a constant safety factor cannot be achieved. The best method for applying a safety factor appears to be the increase of initial pressure or use of other gas mixture. The revision of the safety factor concept and ignition limit curves is recommended.]

Jan 1, 1980

By L. A. Haas

A kinetic study of the carbon deposition reaction was undertaken by the Bureau of Mines as part of a broad investigation of metallurgical reactions in the iron ore blast furnace. The disproportionation of carbon monoxide on iron pellets was investigated at carbon monoxide pressures between 0.5 and 2 atmospheres (absolute) and temperatures from 400° to 1,075° C. Gas flow in the range from 0.25 to 0.85 standard liter per minute was found to have little effect on the reaction velocity. The addition of nitrogen and helium to caron monoxide exerted only a dilution effect on the rate of carbon deposition. However, an addition of 1 percent hydrogen increased the rate about 100 times. Small amounts of carbon dioxide in the inlet gas exerted little effect on the rate of carbon deposition. The maximum rate for carbon deposition in the first 2 hours occurred at 550° C. The apparent molar activation energies at various stages of the reaction were found to vary from 13 kcal initially to 36 kcal during the latter stages of the reaction. The reaction rate behavior was tentatively explained by an adsorption step followed by the diffusion of iron through a shell of inactive iron carbide.

Jan 1, 1968

By Terry J. Close

U.S. Bureau of Mines personnel studied the 33,900-acre Silver Peak Range North Wilderness Study Area (NV-060-338), in order to evaluate its identified mineral resources. The area studied lies between the towns of Silver Peak and Dyer, about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah, in Esmeralda County, Nevada. There are no producing mines in the area studied. However, development of Sunshine Mining Company?s Sixteen-to-One silver-gold mine, located in the Silver Peak mining district near the eastern edge of the study area in the early 19801s, has stimulated recent interest. The Sunshine Mining Company claimed two sites within the study area in 1985. Also, Intermountain Resources, Incorporated, located a group of claims at a prospect along the west side of the study area in the Dyer mining district, and in 1986, began drilling. Other claimants are holding two other claim groups by assessment. At the five currently (1987) held sites, precious metals occurrences are being investigated. There are no patented mining claims or mineral leases in the study area.

Jan 1, 1987

By H. M. Cooper

Many analysts have had difficulty in obtaining accurate and consistent determinations of the volatile matter in low-temperature coke when the usual standard method for coal was followed. The tendency is toward too-high results, due to mechanical losses which are extremely difficult to avoid or control. With cokes there also may be an error due to excessive oxidation of the fixed carbon. Much of the earlier experimental work on the volatile-matter determination in coal, such as that of Parr,5 Fieldner and Davis,6 and others, 7 has been on the effect of time, temperatures, shape and size of crucibles, method of applying heat, and type of furnace, all of which data has evolved the present A.S. T. M.8 standard method for volatile matter in coal and coke. It is not the purpose of this investigation to deal directly with the above phases of the procedure, but rather to study some of the factors affecting she results in those types of fuel which give erroneous results due to mechanical losses.

Jan 1, 1932

By Richard Rittenhouse

This program was to develop a new base line system for automated continuous room and pillar type mining. The primary requirement estab¬lished for this machine is that the machine be capable of mining and bolting simultaneously. Additionally, this machine was to provide temporary and permanent roof control, have a productive - full - face semi-automatic mining system, leave a clean entry outby the machine, provide maximum operator protection, provide effective dust suppression and provide air scrubbing to restrict respirable dust to permissible levels. The machine has effectively demonstrated the ability to mine and bolt simultaneously. Additional above ground operation, testing, and time studies are recommended to further verify the machines abilities. Design improvements are recommended for future generation AES machines. These relate to marginal design areas such as side loading on vent duct lift cylinders, etc., that will not impair additional testing of the existing machine.

Jan 1, 1983