Search Documents

By L. C. IlsLey

Figure 1 is a reproduction of a chart recently prepared by the Bureau of Mines at its Pittsburgh Laboratory to show the Bureau's approval work in connection with electrically operated mining equipment. Nearly 27 years of approval work, covering 346 approved units, are shown on this chart. These approvals are arranged according to year of approval and the manufacturer to whom approval was granted. Forty-five manufacturers are represented, and a scheme of using various colored tabs permits the following subdivision of the equipment: Cutting machines, loading machines, conveyors, battery-operated locomotives, battery-operated power trucks, drills and drilling machines, rock-lusting machines, pumps, room hoists, air compressors,, and miscellaneous, The greatest number of approvals granted to a single manufacturer is 80; the next highest is 65, and the third is 49. Several manufacturers have been granted only a single approval. The chart shows all approvals granted for, motored equipment. Some of these units have since become obsolete, and a few are used to a very limited, extent if at all.

Jan 1, 1941

By William G. Gruzenaky

The separation of yttrium and the individual rare-earth elements (lanthanons) from mixtures in which they occur has been a difficult problem through-out the years. Because of the increased interest in the various uses of these metals, the economy of their production may become of great importance. Studies relative to this problem, undertaken at the Federal Bureau of Mines Albany Metallurgy Research Center, resulted in the development of a solvent extraction method by which yttrium can be separated from the rare-earth metals. A separation factor of 10.93 was obtained between yttrium and cerium from a single-stage extraction, and a factor of 1.78 was obtained between yttrium and erbium from a multistage system. The valuable metals were extracted from euxenite by caustic soda fusion or by chlorination, and several separation methods were investigated. Partial separation of the yttrium and rare-earth element fraction was made by chemical methods and by solvent extraction. Thermal decomposition of aqueous rare-earth nitrates or selective ignition of yttrium and rare-earth oxalates yielded a fraction enriched in cerium. A fraction enriched in the light rare-earth elements resulted from a double sulfate precipitation, whereas a potassium ferrocyanide pr cipitation yielded a fraction enriched in yttrium. Precipitation with dimethyl phosphate yielded a fraction enriched in yttrium and heavy rare-earth elements. Enriched fractions were obtained with several solvent extraction systems. A system consisting of rare-earth nitrates, nitric acid, and tri-n-butylamine-3 methyl-2-butanone favored the separation of yttrium from the heavy as well as from the light rare-earth elements.

Jan 1, 1961

By E. O. Binyon

The Blue Metal corundum-andalusite deposit, in the Buckskin Mining district, Douglas County, Nev., was explored by the Bureau of Mines in 1945. The results of that work were presented in Report of Investigations 3895, exploration of the Blue Metal Corundum Property, Douglas County, Nev. published in August 1946. That report also describes the property in detail, giving location, ownership, history, geology, and data on beneficiation tests. Further exploration was carried on in April and Way 1947, the results of which are presented in this report. The work consisted of 175 feet of drift and crosscut, bringing the total to 398 feet of underground working, as shown in figures 1 and 2. The 23-foot drift, which was the last work of the initial project, was extended 99 feet northward along the shear zone, and three crosscuts, spaced at approximately equal intervals along the drift, were driven to country rock on the hanging and foot walls of the zone.

Jan 1, 1948

By E. P. Youngman

The mining laws of Russia (Collection of Laws, vol. 7, 1912) are still in force in Latvia. The Free State of Latvia (declared independent on November 8, 1918) is composed chiefly of the Baltic Provinces of the former Russian Empire, which are ethnographically Lettish: The Province of Courland, four districts of the Province of Livonia, and three districts of the Province of Vitebsk. Since the establishment of its independence, Latvia has not felt the need of a special mining law, inasmuch as mining so far has not been found profitable in that country. A supplement to this paper, entitled "Mineral Resources," is a brief summary of the minerals found and utilized in latvia. RIGHTS OF FOREIGNERS A foreign individual is permitted to explore for minerals and to own and operate mines in Latvia on equal terms with Latvians. A foreign corporation is required to establish a branch in Latvia, which shall be subject to the corporation laws of the country. A certain number of the partners or incorporators must be citizens of Latvia.

Nov 1, 1931

By Launa G. Mallett, Charles Vaught, Kathleen M. Kowalski, Charles D. Litton, Michael J. Brnich, Ronald S. Conti, Henry P. Cole, William J. Wiehagen

How do people behave when they are trying to get out of a fire? Are escape activities different in each incident, or will most actions be predictable across events? Do persons make the same sorts of decisions whether they are responding as individuals or as group members? Because the social costs of fire-related deaths and injuries are likely to continue to rise, societal pressure for greater safety will also undoubtedly increase. There are, therefore, compelling reasons to further our understanding of action in fires. If human behavior in fire is studied scientifically and predicted according to some well-defined principles, the benefits will be significant. Design engineers could incorporate real-world findings into their plans. Equipment manufacturers could gain from insights into how their technology is actually used in fire emergencies. Safety personnel would have a better appreciation of what constitutes adequate evacuation procedures. Trainers could upgrade the content of their courses that teach escape skills. The result would be an overall improvement in the quality of fire preparedness and safety.

Jan 1, 2000

By Joseph E. Chilton, Robert J. Timko, Charles D. Taylor

No regular monitoring of methane is required in areas of gassy coal mines outby the mining face. Methane ignitions that have occurred in mine outby areas indicate the need to provide better protection to workers. Handheld methane monitors are now used by some miners to make periodic measurements of methane at the working face. The IYONI II gas detector which is incorporated into a miner’s cap lamp and worn on a miner’s helmet can continuously provide an alarm signal whenever methane levels exceed a set level. Tests were conducted to evaluate the performance characteristics of this methane detector by measuring response times with methane gas supplied through a calibration fixture or adaptor. Other response time tests were performed with the detector in an environmental test box. Performance was also evaluated in a full scale test gallery where face methane emission and underground ventilation were simulated. Procedures for calibration by response time measurement of the IYONI II detector have been developed. In limited testing, the IYONI II detector was found to reliably detect the presence of 1 percent by volume methane.

By Ronald D. Hill, Elmore C. Grim

Mining as an extractive process alone is outdated and unacceptable to today's environmentally concerned public. Multiple land use must be considered as well. Only through effective preplanning can the full potential of reclamation result in a lasting asset for future generations. The coal industry is now recognizing that reclamation of mined lands is part of the mining cycle that must be planned and carried out in a timely and orderly manner. It is also finding that planning reclamation in advance of mining is cheaper and more effective than waiting until mining is completed. The decision to open a strip mine must be based on the results of studies to determine if successful reclamation can be achieved and whether the economic benefits to the company will be justified(1). Information regarding the physical, chemical, hydrologic and biologic systems operative at the site must be under- stood or reclamation will be a failure. Working together, engineers, management and reclamation specialists should design the actual mining and reclamation plan before mining is begun.

Jan 1, 1974

By J. W. Thompson

OWNERSHIP OF ORE-CONSTRUCTION OF CONTRACT. A contract between the Republic Mines Corporation and the Quilp Gold Mining Co. provided that upon forfeiture of its rights under a contract the Republic Mines Corporation was required to give a good and sufficient deed conveying to the Quilp Gold Mining Co. all ore bodies of every description lying east of the west line of the Quilp Mining Co. claim extended downward vertically and lying south of the north end line of the Quilp claim extended downward vertically and which may apex within the lines of the Surprise, an adjoining mining claim. It must be presumed that the contracting parties under such circumstances had in view their statutory rights as provided by the mining statutes of the United States, and that both were familiar with the provisions as to extra- lateral rights granted by the statute to locators of mining claims. This contract means to include all ore bodies of every description lying east (or easterly) of the west (or westerly) line of the Quilp claim extended downward vertically and south (or southerly) of the north end line of the Quilp claim extended downward vertically within the Quilp claim excepting the part that was overlapped by the Surprise claim, owned by the Republic Mines Corporation. Quilp Gold Min. Co. v. Republic Mines Corp. (Washington), 165 Pacific 57, p. 61. PURCHASE OF GAS-REFUSAL TO DELIVER SALE TO OTHERS. A gas company that had entered into a contract to purchase a quantity of natural gas refused to receive and accept the gas that was tendered on the ground that it did not conform to the requirements of the contract; subsequently the company refused to sign a writing by which it was asked to consent to the sale of such gas to other persons. But the refusal of the purchasing company to sign such a writing giving its consent or its refusal to consent to such sale did. not affect the rights of the seller to dispose of the gas elsewhere and to other persons. OWNERSHIP OF MINERALS IN HIGHWAY. All mineral deposits within the limits of a highway belong to the owner of the fee and he is entitled to remove them so long as he does not interfere with the public use of the highway. City of Scranton v. Scranton Coal Co. (Pennsylvania), 100 Atlantic 813, p. 819. SALE AND CONVEYANCE. SALE AND CONVEYANCE EXCEPTION AND RESERVATION. The owner of an undivided interest in oil and gas lands conveyed the same to certain named grantees by deed containing a clause excepting and reserving all the oil and gas produced from the undi- vided interest in the land described. The language is not apt for the creation of either an exception or a reservation, but is rather that of a layman unfamiliar with legal distinctions. Strictly and literally construed, it affords a basis for a contention that that which was excepted and reserved was not realty in any form or anything inci- dent thereto, but personalty produced from the land. Immediately following the description of the tract, the grantor excepted and reserved something from the land described. What he excepted and reserved, he excepted and reserved then, and it was from his interest in the land. The clause expressed according to the evident intention of the grantor would read: "Excepting and reserving from the above all oil or gas which may hereafter be produced therefrom." No other construction can reasonably be placed upon the language used. The carving out of a separate estate in the oil and gas in land is a common occurrence in oil and gas producing fields. Mandle v. Gharing (Pennsylvania), 100 Atlantic 535, p. 536. RESERVATION CONSTRUED AS AN EXCEPTION. Where apt words of reservation are used in a deed they will be construed as an exception where this is the evident intention of the parties to the instrument. Although an exception and a reservation differ in legal effect, yet in their creation there is no magic in words, and if the meaning is clear either expression will operate for the purpose designed. The technical distinction between an exception and a reservation is frequently disregarded in the ordinary use of the word, and whether the language used creates an exception or a reservation must be determined from the intention of the parties ascertained from the entire instrument.

Jan 1, 1917

By Dennis Dolinar, Russell Frith, David Oyler, Christopher Mark

Unusual circumstances may require that a longwall retreat into or through a previously driven room. The operation can be completed successfully, but there have been a number of spectacular failures which exposed miners to serious roof fall hazards. To help determine what factors contribute to such failures. the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) compiled a comprehensive international database of 130 case histories. The cases include five failures where major rock falls occurred in front of the shields, and six even more serious failures involving major overburden weighting. This suggests two room failure mechanisms The first is a roof fall type failure caused by loading of the immediate roof at the face as the fender narrows. The second is a weighting type failure caused by the inability of the roof to bridge the recovery room and face area, and affecting rock well above the immediate roof The data indicate that the roof fall type of failure is less likely when intensive roof reinforcement (bolts, cables, and trusses) is employed together with higher-capacity shields The overburden weighting failures, in contrast, occurred when the roof was weak and little standing support was used

By E. J. Babcock

The existence of vast deposits of lignite in the West Central and Western States is well known, although the extent and importance of the deposits have not been appreciated, nor has there been an adequate economic utilization of the deposits. The work of the Bureau of Mines, the United States Geological Survey, and the State geological surveys is disclosing an increasingly large area, underlaid with this kind of coal. Among the States having the largest workable deposits may be mentioned North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas, and in several other Western States lignite occurs in smaller areas. In North Dakota alone it is estimated that the deposits cover approximately 32,000 square miles, many of them being 10 to 15 feet thick and capable of producing in all several hundred billions of tons of lignite. When one stops to consider what these figures mean as to the immensity of these deposits in the West, it is not strange that people are seeking to ascertain better means for deriving larger benefits from the proper utilization of those great deposits. Consequently, any proposed methods of utilization that are promising are well worthy of careful consideration.

Jan 1, 1915

By L. W. Scott, T. H. Dubaniewicz, F. T. Duda, P. G. Kovalchik

Recent research conducted by NIOSH, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory showed that electrical current levels permitted under parent regulations may not limit cable temperatures to less than 90 °C in reeled trailing cables. Reeled cables, tightly wrapped with many turns, ell carrying current in an enclosed space, can become overheated due to poor heat transfer. This overheating can cause the cable insulation to soften and become easily damaged. The damaged insulation reduces the life of the cable and can lead to shock, electrocution, and mine foes. This paper describes a method of measuring the conductor temperature of untie trailing cables during no anal operation. The temperature is measured using a 50/175 micrometer Graded Index Multimode Optical Fiber located in the center of the metallic conductors. Distributed temperature measurements arc made using an Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR). This system is capable of measuring temperature with an accuracy of plus or minus one degree centigrade over a length of 4 km at 1-m intervals. With this unique way of measuring temperature, tests can be conducted simulating actual mine conditions and provide important data to allow MSHA's Approval and Certification Center to develop approval criteria for cyclically rated reeled machines.

Jul 1, 2003

1. In 2002, 14,520 mining operations reported employment statistics to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Almost half (49%) were sand and gravel mines, followed by stone mines (30%), coal mines (14%), nonmetal mines (5%), and metal mines (2%).

Jan 1, 2004

By David Hoadley, Kenneth R. Maser, Ashok B. Boghani, James E. Billar, D. Randolph Berry, Mackenzie Burnett, Robert H. Trent

B 3 Principle Program Nomenclature The principal variable names used in the computer program are defined below. The following dimensions are applicable, unless otherwise indicated. Distance - Ft Velocity - Ft. /Minute Time - Minute

Jan 1, 1976

1. In 2002, a total of 2,065 coal mining operations reported employment to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Coal mines comprised 14.2% of all mining operations. • Bituminous mines comprised 92.5% (n = 1,910) and anthracite mines 7.5% (n = 155) of coal mining operations. • More than 70% of all coal mines were located in three states: Kentucky (28.7%), West Virginia (21.7%), and Pennsylvania (20.1%).

Jan 1, 2004

1. The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 defines an independent contractor as "any person, partnership, corporation, subsidiary of a corporation, firm, association or other organization that contracts to perform services or construction at a mine." Contractors that perform specific types of work (e.g., shaft and slope sinking, material handling within mine property, drilling and blasting) are required to report the number of employees who perform work at coal mines and at metal and nonmetal mines.

May 1, 2003

By Lewis V. Wade

Barrett EA, Kowalski KM [1995]. Effective hazard recognition training using a latent-image, three-dimensional slide simulation exercise. Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, RI 9527. NTIS stock number: PB95-170379. Beus MJ, Orr TJ [1995]. Computer modeling and analysis of the Greens Creek mine, Admiralty Island, AK. Spokane, WA: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, RI 9530.NTIS stock number: PB95-176418. [ ]

By M. K. Larson, J. K. Whyatt, F. M. Jenkins

The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted an overcore stress measurement on the 5300 level of the Lucky Friday Mine, Mullan, ID, to investigate the stress regime around an experimental stope in a rock-burst-prone mine. The result indicated a stress field with unexpected magnitude and orientation [F . 135 MPa (19,600 psi) oriented S 80E1W]. An unusual amount of rock-burst activity was encountered during subsequent excavation. A careful review of the overcore data suggested the overcore strain measurements were valid. Moreover, concentrated rock-burst activity suggested that the measured stress field did exist, but was localized and therefore did not represent the far-field in situ stress field.

Jan 1, 1995

By Andrew B. Cecala, Robert J. Timko, Alexander D. Prokop

Bag loading and stacking processes are the highest dust-exposure job categories in the metal/nonmetal mining industry.1 To cost-effectively decrease respirable dust levels, the Pittsburgh Research Center of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), formerly of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, designed and tested a system called the Bag and Belt Cleaner Device (B&BCD). [ ]

Four actual coal mine waters were used in various phases of the research program. All were from the Sewickley Creek area In Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The BCR designations, site locations, and nature of the mine water samples are described briefly in the following paragraphs.

Jan 1, 1971