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By Gary M. Larwood

A study was conducted to determine the amount of transportation equipment required to move 1.2 billion tons of coal in 1985. The Federal Bureau of Mines has investigated a majority of the various practices associated with coal transportation and has gathered information on the regional origin-destination patterns, methods of movement, equipment stocks, rate structures, and operational capacities of the most important modes of coal haulage currently in use. Models employing this information were developed to establish the origin-destination pattern for 1985 coal shipments, estimate practical tonnage capacities for selected coal hauling rivers, develop modal shares for both unconstrained (by river capacity) and constrained cases, and present a range of coal transportation equipment requirements for given sets of constraints. Projected transportation shares for rail ranged from 63.7 to 72.3 percent, and for river, from 8.8 to 16.4 percent. Other coal transportation modes (truck, conveyor, Great Lakes, and tidewater) are expected to retain their historic shares of coal traffic. Equipment estimates were made for 1985 rail and water transportation based on 1973 average and best practice. Average practice estimates ranged from 675,000 to 710,000 hopper cars (100-ton) and 3,100 to 5,940 barges (1,400-ton equivalent). Best practice estimates ranged from 126,000 to 142,000 hopper cars and 1,750 to 3,450 barges. Full implementation of 1973 best practice by 1985 is unlikely.

Jan 1, 1976

By M. S. Cetiner

This report describes the prototype development If a medium to high voltage coupler, suitable for underground coal mining operations. The coupler has such unique features as automatic dust covers and continuous phase pin shielding. The coupler is rated at 7500V and 250A continuous operation.

Jan 1, 1982

By M. F. Koehler

[THE LITERATURE contains relatively few thermodynamic values for interoxidic compounds, and these often are unreliable. This is especially true of data for ferrites and aluminates for which heat of formation determinations may involve extreme experimental difficulties. This report contains the results of new experimental work for obtaining the heats of formation of five ferrites (Ca2Fe2O5, CaFe2O4, MgFe2O4,, NaFeO2, and LiFeO2) and one aluminate (CaAl4O7), and a review and revision of previous similar work of this laboratory on five aluminates (Ca3A12O6,, 12/7 CaO-Al2O3, CaAl2O4, NaA1O2, and LiAlO2), The results for the 11 compounds are combined with entropy and high-temperature heat content data to derive tables of heats and free energies of formation (both from the oxides and from the elements) for the temperature range 298° 1,800° K, The relative stabilities of the compounds are discussed. The presented data all have application to ceramic reactions, and those for the calcium and sodium aluminates are applicable in considering soda-lime sintering processes for extracting alumina from silicate minerals such as day and labradorite.]

Jan 1, 1961

By T. A. Henrie

One objective of Project Gnome is to study the feasibility of a phase of the Plowshare program recovering thermal energy from an underground nuclear explosion. The test will be conducted in an underground salt deposit. It is anticipated that some of the energy thus released will be stored as thermal energy in molten salt. This report describes the pre-Gnome experiments conducted at the Federal Bureau of Mines Metallurgy Research Laboratory, Boulder City, Nev. The objectives of this study were to determine the problems involved in the recovery of thermal energy from molten salts to assist in planning the experimental program for the Gnome project.

Jan 1, 1961

By H. W. Kilau

The U.S. Bureau of Mines is evaluating water spray additives for the purpose of improving respirable dust control during coal mining operations, with particular emphasis on the longwall shearer. Recent field tests of surfactant-polymer reagents at two production longwall operations have shown favorable respirable dust reductions compared with water sprays containing no additive. Gravimetric dust samples obtained by a technician downwind of the shearer while following or preceding the machine showed dust reductions in the range of about 40% to 60% for some of the reagent formulations compared with using water alone. Three polymers were tested: two polyethylene oxide compounds of different molecular weight and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). All were effective for dust reduction, and two were cost effective when used in combination with sodium di(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate surfactant. How-ever, the use of these reagents requires the longwall operator to be more aware of headgate dust control. Experimental evidence indicates that dust captured by reagent-treated sprays at the shearer can be reemitted in the headgate area if stagcloader-crusher sprays and other dust controls are inadequate.

Jan 1, 2010

By B. C. Burgess

This paper, describing the milling practices at the Minpro plant of the Tennessee Mineral Products Corporation, Spruce Pine, N. C., is the first of a series being prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Mines on feldspar milling methods and costs in the various feldspar producing areas in the United States. It describes not only the latest practices in feldspar grinding but includes studies of the cost of producing ground feldspar. These cost studies, obviously of interest to every consumer and purchaser of feldspar and to all feldspar grinders, are also of value to the small operator, who is generally prone to understimate his real costs. It describes the latest practices in feldspar milling and includes detailed costs of grinding. The cost tabulations presented show operating expenditures only and not total production costs. Details of costs are given only to the extent that they are essential to the technical discussion and study of the methods employed. A description of the recently installed milling unit for the preparation of granular glasspar by graded crushing, and magnetic separation is of particular interest. It illustrates how highly specialized feldspar milling has become, and to what an extent grinders are going to supply consumers with the products best suited for their particular needs.

Jan 1, 1931

By Pamela J. Watson

This report presents a Bureau of Mines literature survey that provides a data base useful for current and future studies in the area of chemically enhanced drilling and cutting. Publications describing laboratory testing and field studies of drilling and cutting with chemical additives are reviewed. Significant results are summarized and tabulated by rock or material type and also by chemical additive, with extensive references. Selected studies related to fluid-enhanced processing or material testing are summarized in the appendixes.

Jan 1, 1985

By Louis C. Britcha

"The Phelps lease in Jasper County, Missouri, was first examined by the Bureau of Mines3/ in December 1943, at the request of Thomas Phelps of Joplin, the lessee. Owing to urgent war requirements for zinc and lead and evidence of favorable geological conditions and past productivity of adjoining properties, it,considered justifiable to explore for extensions of known ore deposits and possible undiscovered ones. In August 1944, funds were allotted for this work, which was started January 5, 1945, under the direction of the author.The provision of facilities and storage space on the property by the lessee during drilling operations is gratefully acknowledged.The Phelps lease is on land belonging to the Rex Mining & Smelting Co. It lies immediately southeast of the city limits of Joplin, Mo. It may be reached by going cast from Joplin on paved 20th street to half a mile beyond Range Line road. Twentieth street is the northern boundary line of the property, which consists of approximately 145 acres and includes the W 1/2, NE1/4, and all of the E ½. NW1/4 except 15 acres along the west side of that quarter section, of sec. 18, T. 27 N., R. 32 W., as shown on figure 1.The property is part of a 1,000-acre tract owned by the Rex Mining & Smelting Co., Paul D. Porter, president, Joplin, Mo. The lease was acquired by Thomas Phelps of Joplin, in 1937. At present the lease is controlled by a recently formed association known as the Eureka Products Co., Charles W. Madison, manager, Kansas City, Mo.Dependable skilled mine labor is scarce in the district at present, but there seems to be enough transient mine labor for small operations. The prevailing wages of the district run from 55 cents to 95 cents per hour for various types of mine labor.Living accommodations and markets to supply all domestic requirements are available in Joplin.In its program of exploration of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Mines has as its primary objective the more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the and that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. It is the policy of the Bureau to publish the facts developed by each exploratory project as soon as practicable after its conclusion. The Mining Branch, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts preliminary examinations, performs the actual exploratory work, and prepares the final report. The Metallurgical Branch, R. G. Knickerbocker, chief, analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests. Both these branches are under the supervision of Dr. R. S. Dean, assistant director."

Jul 1, 1946

This report describes the new Bureau of Mines Core Repository System (CORES) and presents the methods for selecting, processing, and storing physical samples and descriptive data for future reference by earth scientists. The system preserves splits of chip samples and longitudinally sliced segments of core. A records retrieval system provides for storage of data on microfilm and magnetic tapes and uses the keysort parameters of location and commodity for the identification of data.

Jan 1, 1978

By W. A. SLOAN, G. L. Oldright, J. D. Sullivan, E. K. PRYOR, A. F. HALLET, R. S. Dean, S. L. BROWN, F. S. Wartman, A. J. Thompson

Lack of sufficient publication funds has resulted in the accumulation of considerable unpublished experimental work on copper metallurgy by the Bureau staff . The present report gives extended abstracts of this work , as well as a discussion of the best direction for future efforts . The experimental work reported in this series of papers was done in cooperation with the University of Arizona , Tucson , Ariz . The investigations covered in the third , fifth , and seventh papers were done under the direction of G. L. Oldright and the remainder under the direction of V. H. Gottschalk .

May 1, 1934

By J. L. Henry

The development and status of technology for producing titanium from U.S. resource materials are summarized in this Bureau of Mines report. Commercially feasible processes and investigations of alternative procedures are reviewed in order to identify techniques that could make existing operations more effective or areas in which future research may lead to the development of new production methods. Procedures are described for producing concentrated titanium dioxide from starting materials such as sands, massive deposits, and mineral processing residues containing rutile, ilmenite, and perovskite; producing and purifying titanium tetrachloride from concentrated rutile, ilmenite, and titaniferous slags; reduction of titanium tetrachloride to titanium sponge metal using metallic magnesium or sodium; purifying and consolidating titanium sponge and scrap by arc melting or induction melting techniques; purifying sponge, scrap, and alloys by molten salt electrorefining; and electrowinning titanium from chloride salts.

Jan 1, 1987

In 2006, 14,885 mining operations reported employment data to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).1 Almost half (48.2%) were sand and gravel mines, followed by stone mines (30.7%), coal mines (14.2%), nonmetal mines (5.0%), and metal mines (1.9%).

Jan 1, 2008

By R. L. Cosgriff

A commercial, battery-powered mine vehicle has been equipped for remote operation in coal mines. This vehicle is controlled by an operator from the remote station. Command signals originating at the remote station as well as video and data signals originating on board the vehicle are relayed between the remote station and vehicle using a single coaxial line. This coaxial line is normally 2,000 feet in length and is reeled in and out from a drum mounted aboard the vehicle The vehicle has a maximum speed of 6 ft/sec and a minimum speed of 4 ft/sec using 36-volt excitation of the traction motor. If this traction motor is excited by two of the three batteries, 24-volt excitation, the vehicle will travel at approximately 2 ft/sec. The speed can be reduced by the operator to 1 ft/sec. This vehicular system has been tested in coal mines. Presently, the major limitation of this system is associated with fatigue failure of the splices in the coaxial line and lack of mobility caused by its 3-wheel design.

Jan 1, 1974

By A. J. Fejes

The purpose of this Bureau of Mines report is to provide mining industry personnel and regulatory authorities with a subsidence-reference list and annotated bibliography that will aid them in locating subsidence information and in developing their own subsidence information sources. Over 700 references are listed in the Bureau's subsidence information center bibliography; approximately 600 of these references were obtained for assessment. Of these 600 references, 167 were selected to be rated, categorized, and annotated. All literature referenced in this report was published prior to 1984. Table 1 is a cross - referenced index that classifies and rates selected references with respect to specific keywords. References are rated not on quality of content but rather on applicability to given subject areas. Appendix A is an annotated bibliography of the references listed in table 1 and provides further information of each article to aid the user in selecting articles for specific areas of subsidence technology. Appendix B is a copy of the subsidence information center bibliography.

Jan 1, 1985

By V. F. Parry

This report is the first substantial description of the carbonizing process and the details of experimental work conducted at the Denver laboratories under a coopeative agreement between the Bureau of Mines and the Texas Power & Light Co. It presents the results of tests on several Texas lignites and other typical western coals that have been processed in the first pilot plant operated at Denver. Investigations on drying fine coal in the entrained and fluidized state have been under way at Bureau of Mines Denver laboratories for several years. Reports on this work were published in 1949 and 19505/ describing the theory and practice of re-moving inherent moisture from the lower -rank coals. The investigation did not include a study of the removal of surface moisture from fine fuel. Private industry in Canada became interested in the possibilities of drying fine coal, employing the closed-circuit system and techniques recommended by the Bureau. Large, commercial-scale drying units were built by a Canadian company, which successfully demonstrated that surface moisture could be removed from fine coal at high efficiency and capacity ill drying units similar in design to those developed by the Bureau.

Jan 1, 1953

By James J. Dowd

During and immediately following World War II, the heavy demands for steel required the mining of unusually large quantities of coal for the manufacture of metallurgical coke. The largest demand for metallurgical coke is in the Appalachian region, which comprises central and western Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, eastern Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. This demand is satisfied by coke made from coals within the region; consequently, the reserves of coking coal in this region are being depleted more rapidly than reserves in other coal-producing regions. The supply A' high-quality coking coal during the war was inadequate, and some coke were forced to use inferior coals. The coke produced from these inferior coals adversely affected the rate of production. Another national emergency probably would produce a similar condition, and in the interest of -national security, the Munitions Board of the National Military Establishment requested the Bureau of Mines to evaluate the reserves of coals suitable for the manufacture of metallurgical coke. All bituminous coals in the Appalachian region are coking, and as the coal that produces the better metallurgical coke become depleted, other coal previously considered inferior will be used. The general trend is toward the use of lower-quality coals for metallurgical purposes.

Jan 1, 1950

By A. C. Richardson, G. D. Coe, B. M. Bird

"The Hull mine of the De'Bardeleben Coal Corporation is located in the Warrior field, in Walker County, Ala., about 25 miles northwest of Birmingham. The Mary Lee bed at this point is coking coal and has been used in the manufacture of by-product coke, but at present it is sold exclusively as a domestic and locomotive fuel.The data in this paper, which is the third in a series on the washability of Alabama coals,5 have been obtained in connection with an exhaustive study of coal preparation in Alabama now being conducted by the U. S. Bureau of Mines and the University of Alabama with the cooperation of the different coal operators. The paper contains screen-sizing and float-and.-sink tests of a representative sample of run-of-mine coal, and flakiness tests and crushing tests of certain sizes.In addition, complete analyses of the ¾-inch to 3/16-inch size, raw coal, together with ash fusibility tests of the float-and-sink fractions have been made; those results are given in Tables 1 and 2. Since they indicate that the pr ration problem, like that at Lewisburg, Ala., is one of ash reduction, the further tests and the discussion have been restricted to that subject."

Apr 1, 1931

By Charles G. Howard

Accidents involving underground rail transport were analyzed to quantify the magnitude and the operational requirements for individual mine car braking systems. The results showed that the brake preventable accidents represent only 2% of the total underground fatal accidents and less than 1% of the total underground nonfatal accidents. In addition, the brake preventable accidents are expected to decline over the next decade. The costs of accidents involving deaths and Injuries were determined using various well accepted methods. The costs of a brake retrofit program for all operating underground coal cars were developed separately for small and large coal mines. Costs of retrofit brakes, new car brakes, maintenance, inspection and repair facilities were included in the esimates. The analysis showed that a retrofit program would not significantly increase safety, and that the program cost would greatly exceed the corresponding expected benefits.

Jan 1, 1979

The following is a Maintainability Design Checklist for coal mining equipment. The purpose of the checklist is to provide a summary of design review points for the maintainability assessment of new or existing underground equipment. It specifically focuses on the identification of equipment design features, tasks, or procedures that impact equipment downtime, repair costs, labor hours and maintainer skill level requirements. Some checklist points are general in nature. The checklist was designed to be used across all categories of underground equipment. The intent is to draw attention to design features and maintenance procedures that will increase maintainability requirements. You are encouraged to adapt this checklist to site specific or machine specific requirements by: ? Inserting specific performance criteria for various categories of maintenance tasks. For example; all hydraulic lines on a shuttle car should be replaceable in 15 minutes or 25 minutes, etc. ? Adding or deleting checklist items for different categories of equipment. You would include environmental control equipment, for example, on face equipment and not on shuttle cars or man trips. ? Adding additional checklist items based on site or equipment specific maintenance histories or experience, company maintenance standards, or other factors.

Jan 1, 2000

By R. R. Wells, G. M. Potter, R. Havens, W. W. Agey

"INTRODUCTION As part of the program of investigating possible domestic sources of manganese, ore-dressing studies were conducted at Salt Lake City, Utah, on five samples of manganese oxide ore obtained by mining engineers of the Bureau of Mines from the Havasu Lake District, California and Arizona.Two lots of radically different ores were procured from the Arizona Manganese claims 30 miles above Parker Dam, Mohave County, Ariz. One of the original 11 claims has been flooded by Havasu Lake, formed by Parker Dam. The claims are owned by R. H. Thompson, Parker Lumber Co., Parker, Ariz. The 2-ton lot of high-grade ""TA"" ore represented ore occurring as pyrolusite and psilomelane accompanied by a black calcite gangue in lenses along a series of fault planes in granite. A half-ton lot of low-grade ""TB"" ore was taken from a large lense of reddish iron-bearing material outcropping on another section of the property.A 2-ton lot of ore was taken from the Jones property, 8-1/2 miles southwest of Powell, Mohave County, Ariz. At the time of the investigation, the property was leased by J. H. Jones, of Oatman, Arix., from the owners, the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad Co. The ore body was described as a re¬placement in a sandstone formation in a region that has been faulted extensively."

Dec 1, 1947