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By L. K. Weaver

The Bureau of Mines has started an engineering study of oil recovery by miscible-phase displacement. As a preliminary part of the investigation a literature and patent study was made to prevent duplication of work already done, to become acquainted with those actively engaged in research of this type, and to learn where the recovery method has been attempted. This bibliography gives results of this study. The bibliography includes 254 references to U.S. and foreign patents and published literature relating to miscible-phase displacement processes of oil recovery. It is divided into the following sections: (1) U.S. patents, (2) foreign patents, (3) literature references, (4) author index, and (5) publication and source reference. The patents and literature references are listed alphabetically by author by intervals of years. References to February 1963 are included.

Jan 1, 1963

By Slavoljub D. Maksimovic

The Bureau of Mines, through a memorandum of agreement with the State of Ohio, tested a method of constructing seals in abandoned mine openings in Ohio by means of pneumatic stowing of crushed limestone and gravel with sand. A total of five openings and one shaft were back-filled. Pneumatic stowing uses compressed air to convey material through a pipeline and into the mine opening. The stowing equipment consists of a power supply, a blower, a feeder to inject the material into the pipeline through an airlock, and a nozzle for directing the placement. Material is ejected from the nozzle at high velocity, creating a high-compaction fill upon impact. Well-graded aggregate up to 2 inches in diameter and having sufficient fines is used as fill. The stowing method is safer and faster than conventional methods, is cost competitive, prevents trespass into abandoned mine openings, and eliminates or reduces the exposure of workers to possible hazards since the discharge nozzle can be kept at the mouth of the opening. The equipment is mobile, and, with some modification, the technique could be widely used for sealing abandoned and active mine openings, even in remote locations and during severe weather conditions.

Jan 1, 1982

By H. E. Powell

This study was made to determine the capabilities and limitations of the hydrocyclone for separating quartz sand from impure clays, Optimum operating conditions for beneficiating typical subgrade clays were determined. Estimates are furnished for installation and direct operating costs of hydrocyclones in such separations. Laboratory models of commercial hydrocyclones were used to beneficiate a suite of fire clays including plastic, semiflint, and flint types, all of which were contaminated with quartz in amounts ranging from 3 to more than 62 percent. Results show that this technique is not limited to a single type of clay but is applicable to clays ranging from plastic through flint, Under proper conditions use of this technique will result in good separation of the sand and good recovery of a useful clay mineral concentrate. Rejection of quartz from the clays investigated ranged from a low of 82.4 percent with an alumina recovery of 71.2 percent to a high of 99.0 percent with an alumina recovery of 85.6 percent.

Jan 1, 1963

By John W. Frey

Although there are certain general uniform provisions in the laws ... of the several Provinces of Canada the differences are so great that it is considered advisable to present digests of separate mining laws rather than a digest of Canadian mining law as an entity . This analysis , accordingly , has been divided as follows : Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Quebec , Ontario , British Columbia , and a group of Provinces under Dominion Law .

Sep 1, 1930

By Daniel G. DiCanio

This report describes a computer-based model for estimating the tangible costs of injuries and deaths from work-related accidents in underground coal mines. The study undertook to identify and quantify the elements of accident costs, including field visits to coal mines, insurance carriers, and public agencies. The mathematical models developed for each tangible element of accident cost are presented in Volume I -of the report. A listing of the computer programs which comprise the model and instructions for using the programs are presented in Volume II. Statistical distributions of mining family characteristics, data on 95 miners killed in underground accidents, and other basic data used to develop the model are presented in Volume III. Application of the model to a data base of 9,286 accidents which occured in underground bituminous coal mines during 1974 yielded a total of $56,900,000 in tangible costs to industry, mining families, and public agencies. Loss of income to the families of miners injured or killed in these accidents accounted for 47 percent of the total.

Jan 1, 1976

By BUREAU OF MINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sep 1, 1932

The U.S. Bureau of Mines and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) are participating jointly in a research program to evaluate the strength characteristics and air-leakage resistance of various proposed seal designs for use in underground coal mines. The full-scale seals were constructed in the USBM's experimental mine at the Lake Lynn Laboratory, air-leakage tested, then subjected to pressure pulses of 20 psig or greater. In experiments prior to this study, seven seal designs using solid-concrete blocks were tested. Only the standard-type seal passed the explosion and air-leakage criteria. Tests also were performed on four seals constructed with low-density foam blocks. All four of these seal designs withstood the pressure pulse. In more recent studies, nine cementitious foam seal designs of varying thicknesses and densities were investigated. Six of the nine designs successfully survived the explosion overpressures. Six wood-block convergence seals also have been tested. The typical 3-ft-thick, wood-block seal design currently used in many coal mines did not maintain its integrity, in the absence of convergence forces, following the explosion test. Five modified wood-block seals successfully withstood the 20-psig pressure pulse. Based on these tests, three alternative seal construction materials, cementitious foam, low-density foam block, and wood, have been approved by MSHA for use in underground coal mines.

Jan 1, 2010

By F. A. Rutledge, B. S. Webber, J. M. Moss

"INTRODUCTION The United States, with its vast resources of relatively low-grade zinc been the world's leading producer of zinc -metal for many years. The expanded zinc production during the period, 1939-44, inclusive, was induced by favorable premium prices and has depleted the known ore reserves in the United States. The 1943-44 rate of zinc production cannot long be maintained in the United States, especially if premium prices are removed. Domestic zinc reserves, have been depleted to such an extent that it is doubtful if our mines will again be able to completely and continually fulfill the needs of this country.The Bureau of Mines, anticipating a postwar consumer demand for 550,000 to 750,000 tons of slab zinc and an additional 100,000 tons for use in paints and chemicals, sent two engineers to Sedanka Island in July 1945 to investi¬gate the deposits near Biorka Harbor.ACKNOWLEDGMENTIn 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 end 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."

Nov 1, 1946

By Pedro Lilienfeld

This report describes the development, design, fabrication and testing of a port-able, battery-operated, light scattering monitor (henceforth to be designated as ILSDM) for the rapid measurement of the concentration of respirable dust in mining environments. This instrument incorporates state-of-the-art design characteristics and makes use of advanced solid-state components both for light emission as well as for its detection. The use of a pulsed light source combined with synchronous signal detection minimizes drift problems and optimizes the sensitivity of the measurement. Simplicity of operation, reliability and ruggedness, light weight as well as improved performance were salient objectives of this instrument development program. Continuous clean-air flow screening of all critical optical surfaces, and optimized optical detection and electronic signal processing design resulted in about a hundred-fold decrease of noise and drift with respect to precursor instruments. Equivalent mass concentration measurements 88 low as 10 micrograms per cubic meter can be routinely performed with time constants of about 2 second.

Jan 1, 1979

By James Pennington

[The Mining and Metallurgical Divisions of the Bureau of Mines, Region V, conducted an investigation in 1950-51 of the iron sulfide deposits in Aitkin and Carlton Counties, Minn. Twelve diamond-core-drill holes, aggregating 2,347 feet, were drilled in secs. 14 and 15, T. 46 N., R. 25 W., Aitkin County, to increase reserves of iron sulfides known to exist 2 miles southwest in secs. 28 and 29, T. 46 N., R. 25 W. Three diamond-core-drill hobs, totaling 561 feet, were drilled in Canton County, sec. 7, T. 46 N., R. 2 0 W., to check reports of the presence of a large sulfide deposit in that area. Mineral-dressing tests were made on cores from 10 holes drilled in Aitkin County. These included core from hole 21 drilled in sec. 28 and submitted by the Glen Development Co.]

Jan 1, 1953

By Louis A. Panek, John A. Stock

A flat slot is created in rock to cause stress relief effects in a pair of hydraulic borehole pressure cells (previously installed in drill holes above and below the slot ) , which act as sensing devices . This relief is annulled by repressuring the slot by means of a flat hydraulic cell . The slot pressure at annulment is taken to be the existing ground stress at right angles to the plane of the slot . A number of trial installations in the rib of a mine drift showed that for a valid determination of ground stress the sensing devices that respond to relief and repressuring must be within a specified zone close to the pressure transmitter ; otherwise the indicated ground stress may be excessive . By using an additional pair of borehole pressure cells , installed a few feet away , the existing rock stress can be redetermined at intervals , irrespective of a change of stress intensity subsequent to the initial installation . Based on these findings , equipment and procedures have been developed that make possible the installation and operation of a permanent rock stress monitoring station for observing mining - induced stress changes . The station consists of a 12 - in - wide hydraulic pressure cell cemented in a flat slot and four 2- by 8 - in flat hydraulic pressure cells in nearby drill holes . All drilling for the installation can be done with an air leg drill and conventional bits . Once the installation is completed , all required information is obtained by Bourdon pressure gage readings . The apparatus is simple , relatively inexpensive , and reliable under operating conditions in a wet mine . Unlike most methods of rock stress determination , this scheme permits periodic remeasurement of absolute rock pressure over several years , without additional drilling or instrumentation . Similar to other flat slot procedures , stress measurements are obtained without making auxiliary tests to determine elastic

Jan 1, 1964

The safety analysis of shaft-sinking operations included a review of accident reports from coal and metal-nonmetallic mine shaft-sinking projects in the United States, a review of foreign and domestic shaft laws, and discussions with shaft contractors and Federal mine inspectors. Accident data were studied to identify the most common and the most severe types of shaft accidents and to determine their immediate and contributing causes. Additional factors such as worker training and experience, equipment and sinking procedures, regulations and enforcement practices were also investigated to determine their impact on shaft safety. The results of the study are summarized in recommendations for improved training of shaft miners and clarification of Federal shaft-sinking regulations. A guide to assist mine inspectors in examining shaft-sinking projects is also included.

Jan 1, 1977

By Forrest T. Moyer

Need for lightweight building materials was created in the latter part of the nineteenth century by a radical change in building design in which dead load or structural weight was transferred from thick, heavy, load- bearing walls of former construction practice to a load-carrying framework of beams and columns with thin walls. This new design was brought about by the introduction of structural steel followed by reinforced concrete and structural concrete as materials for the erection of the load-supporting frame. The new materials and method of construction made possible the erection of skyscrapers and the building of bridges with long spans, and made feasible additions of one or more floors to existing buildings. As size and design of the load-bearing framework are controlled chiefly by dead load, the natural result was a. search for and use of light- weight materials in partitions, floors, and exterior walls. However, these thin walls created problems of heat and sound. insulation, so that building materials which possessed good heat- and sound-insulating properties in addition to light weight were objects of extensive research. One group of materials developed to fill this need comprised lightweight concretes, of which some were obtained by the use of lightweight aggregates. Although the advantages of lightweight.materials were evident from the first skyscrapers, there was a transition.stage.between the old bearing- wall and modern skeleton-frame types of building, with the heavy and massive construction of the former superimposed upon the latter. Hence, it was not until the period between 1910 and 1930 that the new lightweight concretes were recognized and used more extensively in the erection of large, nonresidential buildings. From this type of construction, light- weight-aggregate concretes entered-fields of residential and small non- residential building; in which they were found desirable for production of prefabricated, large-size; masonry units. Although the weight of each unit was reduced sufficiently to enable one man to handle it easily, properties of the new concretes other than light weight were the principal factors in the ready acceptance of these new materials in residential building. Manufacture of precast units includes complete lines of masonry and back-up blocks, bricks; floor beams, columns and partition, roof, and floor tiles and slabs. Recent improvements in casting machinery, development of the vibration-pressure machine, and a more thorough study and knowledge of the requirements and properties of the concrete mix have all contributed materially to the rapid expansion in use of lightweight aggregates in this industry.

Jan 1, 1942

By William Porter

Hand scaling is a physically demanding job and is responsible for numerous overexertion injuries in mining. This experiment studied rib scaling from an elevated bucket to examine force generation capabilities and electromyographic responses to a prying subtask. Subjects exerted force using two bars (steel and fiberglass) at five target heights. Work height significantly affected peak prying force during scaling activities with highest force capacity at the lowest level (p = 0.0188). Bar type did not affect force generation (p = 0.7843): However, use of the fiberglass bar required significantly more muscle activity to achieve the same force (p < 0.05). It was concluded that miners should scale points on the rock face that are below their knees, and reposition the bucket as often as necessary to do so. Additional research is needed to fully understand the impact of bar type on the physical demands of an entire scaling task.

Jan 1, 2006

By G. R. Fitterer, E. A. Krockenberger, B. E. Sockman, R. B. Meneilly, J. F. Eckel, E. W. Marshall

"Steel manufacturers have noticed a decided tendency on the part of many of their customers to become more exacting in their steel specifications. Under these conditions, the steel must not only meet the specifications of physical properties (tensile strength, reduction of area, elongation, impact strength, grain size, normality, etc.) and the chemical analyses, but must also pass the inspection test of ""cleanliness.""By cleanliness is commonly meant the absence of oxide and sulphide inclusions. Other foreign particles such as furnace or ladle slag, ladle and runner brick, etc., must also be absent. The determination of cleanliness at present is usually made by microscopic inspection or macroetching.The rejection of steel for lack of cleanliness is increasing, out cleanliness is one of the most difficult requirements for the manufacturer to fill. The reason for this is that every steel inspector has a different conception of a. clean steel. A material which does not pass the examination of one inspector way be regarded as entirely satisfactory by the metallurgist of an¬other company. The cause of this confusion and disagreement concerning the definition of a clean or a dirty steel is simply that as yet no standardized procedure for the determination of impurities has been proposed and generally accepted, since many variables are encountered which interfere with the development of a satisfactory method. An idea of the complexity of this situation will be obtained from the following pages.A Survey of Proposed Analytical MethodsAlthough no analytical method has been accepted, many procedures have been proposed, as may be seen in Table 1. Therein are listed 16 of the better-known processes, pith references to the work of their originators, their mechanisms of determination, and their applicabilities. Among these is included the electrolytic method developed by one of the present authors, and some comparison between this and previously proposed procedures may be obtained by a study of the table. It appears that this new method Las many advantages over the others, and this paper presents a critical Study of its value."

May 1, 1933

By Steven J. Schatzel, Robert B. Krog

Frictional ignitions are defined as the ignition of a flammable mixture of methane and air that is initiated by frictional heating. Ignitions created through the addition of energy from open flames and exposed electrical circuits are not included in this analysis. Energy released in a roof fall that creates a spark and ignites a methane mixture would be considered a frictional ignition. Frictional ignitions represent the majority of all ignitions in underground coal mines. Over the study period of 1983 to 2005, a total of 1993 ignitions were reported in underground bituminous coal mines in the United States, of which 1589 were frictional ignitions. Reportable ignitions to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) are any unintentional occurrences of flame underground regardless of duration. Frictional ignitions were reported in 155 mines and 13 states. Continuous miners represented the largest source for frictional ignitions with 1090 (68.6% of all frictional ignitions). Longwall mining operations represented the highest concentration of frictional ignitions during this study period with 1365 frictional ignitions (85.9% of all frictional ignitions). The 17 mines with the most frictional ignitions were all longwall mining operations and had 1130 frictional ignitions (307 from the shearer) that represented 71.1% of the total. In 1983, mines with frictional ignitions represented 6.9% of operating underground mines and 36.6% of total underground coal production. The percentage of operating underground mines with frictional ignitions and their total production has increased steadily and in 2005 represented 9.8% of active mines and 46.2% of underground coal production. The three coalbeds with the highest number of frictional ignitions (Blue Creek, Pittsburgh No 8, and Pocahontas No 3) had 1049 ignitions that represented 66.0% of all frictional ignitions. The three states with the highest number of frictional ignitions were Alabama (710), Virginia (247), and Pennsylvania (242) that represented 75.5% of the total. Frictional ignitions peaked in 1991 with a high of 114. In 2005, only 34 frictional ignitions were reported. If only frictional ignitions that occur at the face are considered, there have been no fatalities since 1983. Since this time, there were 33 ignitions that caused 53 workers to lose a total of 2912 working days. When including ground falls, then there have been four frictional ignitions with one incident causing two fatalities and injuring eight workers. From 1983-1991, underground productivity and the number of frictional ignitions increased. However, productivity continued to increase from 1991-2000 while total frictional ignitions fell, thereby disproving this connection between productivity and frequency of frictional ignitions. Ninety percent of all frictional ignitions occurred in underground coal mines that liberated more than 393 L/s (1.2 MMcfd million cubic feet per day) of methane through the main ventilation system. Although methane production is not the determining factor for the occurrence of frictional ignitions, it is a good indicator of the anticipated frequency.

By Edward L. McHugh

The Thousand Lakes Wilderness has no known economically significant mineral resources. However, the geologic setting of the Wilderness indicates a potential for the discovery of geothermal resources. INTRODUCTION The Thousand Lakes Wilderness occupies 16,335 acres (6,611 ha) in eastern Shasta County, California. A mineral resource study of the area was authorized by the Wilderness Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-577). Mining records and published information were examined, and field investigations conducted in 1979. The Wilderness is about 50 miles (80 km) east of Redding and 12 miles (19 km) south of Burney, California. It lies in the Cascade Range of California. Relief is more than 3,000 feet (910 m); elevation is greatest at the summit of Crater Peak, 8,677 feet (2,645 m).

Jan 1, 1982

By J. R. Ross

Recovery of uranium from slightly alkaline mine water, available in the Ambrosia Lake district of New Mexico, was studied using countercurrent ion exchange columns developed by the Bureau of Mines. Approximately 5 million gallons of mine water containing 9 to 12 ppm U308 was treated by ion exchange using a 14-inch-diameter absorption column composed of five or six compartments each 4 feet deep. Uranium recoveries averaged in excess of 98 percent at solution flows ranging from 15 to 25 gallons per square foot per minute and resin loadings up to 3.6 pounds of U.08 per cubic foot. In subsequent tests, loaded resin was continuously eluted in a countercurrent elution column with a diameter of 4 inches and containing a bed of resin 9 feet deep. The resin was eluted to a residual loading of less than 0.06 pound of U305 per cubic foot, at a resin-retention time of 224 minutes, using only 1.9 volumes of 1.1 M NaCl-0.05 M NaHCO3 solution per volume of resin. Compared with existing ion exchange practices for recovering uranium from mine waters in the Ambrosia Lake district of New Mexico, use of these improved ion exchange contactors would reduce ion exchange resin requirements at least 70 percent and allow further substantial reductions in capital and operating costs.

Jan 1, 1971

By Noel N. Moebs

Bureau of Mines studies of mine roof fall problem in the Pocahontas No. 3 Coalbed of southern West Virgania and southwestern Virginia have established that type and sequence of rock are significant factors in roof competence. The poorest conditions occur where the immediate roof consists of slump structures and slickensided rock. The best conditions occur where the roof consists of a sequence that coarsens upward from shale to massive sandy shale. A small manual of color photographs of rock types was devised to aid in identifying drill cores. Proper identifications should enhance the prediction of areas of potential roof problems in advance of mining.

Jan 1, 1981

By W. R. Crank

[Rock bursts are phenomena associated with mining operations, particularly with deep mining, although they occur throughout a wide rump, of depth, from 600 feel downward. The intensity is usually in direct proportion to the depth, varying from a loosening and sloughing off to a violent rupture, giving rise to the term, "explosive rock." The more or less violent breaking of rock in mine working, tins been variously designated as " flaking," "pressure hoists," "strain bursts," "bumps," "quakes," and "air blasts," which indicate opinions as to cause and effect. The term "air blast" lots probably beat most widely used, and naturally so, as a more or less rapid movement of air often accompanying the more violent phenomena of rock failure. Furthermore, there is an implied if not definitely expressed degree of magnitude in the action designited by a given term and in the cause and character of the action. For example. flaking, pressure bursts, and quakes are terms ranged to indicate action of increasing magnitude; and pressure bursts, strain bursts. bumps, and quakes are ranged according to the cause and character of the action.]

Jan 1, 1929