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By Keros Cartwright

Sanitary landfilling has become one of the most widely used methods of disposing of solid refuse. A principal concern of regulatory agencies and the public itself is that landfill operations do not degrade the physical environment, including water resources, and the ground-water reservoir in particular. Ground-water and engineering geology can guide landfill operations into suitable terranes or develop measures to compensate for any natural limitations at a particular site Experience and research in Illinois suggest four activities relating to landfill disposal that warrant attention by geologists and engineers: (1) Regional delineation of favorable and unfavorable hydrogeologic conditions to facilitate planning and preliminary screening of potential landfill sites. (2) Site evaluations, with considerations of geologic materials, topography, water levels, flow systems, and local occurrence and use of water resources. (3) Re- search on aspects of the hydrogeologic environment that control effects of, or are modified by, landfills. (4) Formulation of practices in the siting, construction, and operation of landfills that prevent, mitigate, or isolate deleterious effects. The first two activities are basically in the domain of earth science, requiring the application of fundamental concepts of geology and hydrology and conventional site-exploration methods. The third activity, research, requires contributions from geology as well as other disciplines, including soil physics, sanitary engineering, and chemistry. The fourth calls for policy decisions by regulatory agencies and elected officials, using the contributions of scientists and engineers.

Jan 1, 1970

By [F. P. ] Stambaugh

Results of research on the hydrothermal precipitation of zirconium oxide from the Bureau of Mines' zirconyl chloride-sulfate strip liquors indicate that nuclear grade material can be prepared by this process. Greater than 99% of the zirconium value can be precipitated at 250-260°C in short (5-10 minutes) reaction time without consumption of acid value of the liquor. Thus, precipitation of zirconium dioxide on a continuous basis, i.e., the zirconium dioxide is precipitated in a continuous mode of operation by pumping the strip liquor through a heated pressurized reactor and recycle of the acidic (spent) liquor to the process stage are favored. The results of accompanying studies of liquod/solid separation, product washing and dewatering, product purity, and chlorination of the product are presented and discussed.

Jan 1, 1980

By Airong Zhang

El presente texto señala los elementos importantes de una licencia social para realizar operaciones mineras en un determinado territorio. En ese sentido, el desarrollo de este proceso permitirá que las comunidades dialoguen con los inversionistas y a su vez les otorgará confianza en el camino de la exploración minera. Para ello, se muestra un ejemplo aplicado a una comunidad minera denominada Queensland, Australia donde a través de doce encuestas desarrolladas durante 12 meses, se percibío la trascendencia no solo de la gestión, sino el contacto de las comunidades y las compañías mineras y evitar conflictos sociales.

Aug 1, 2014

By Z. Hyder, M. D. Cleason

"INTRODUCTION Mine Ventilation has come a long way over the years. The main purpose of mine ventilation is to keep conditions in the mine safe for the worker so that the mine will be productive and profitable. Technological developments to the mine ventilation system itself and the development of mining techniques have helped improve the safety and productivity of the miners and the mine. Most of the developments to mine ventilation and to safety devices came as the result of serious mining disasters. Another effect of those mining disasters, especially in the late 19th century and after, was legislation to set specific safety standards for mines, especially in the underground coal mines. This paper will focus on the connection between mines disasters and the mine safety legislations promulgated because of those disasters. A BRIEF HISTORY OF MINE SAFETY LEGISLATION Mine legislation has a long history in the U.S. dating back well in the 1800’s. However, mine safety legislation is considerably newer. In 1891, the U.S. Congress passed the very first version of mine safety legislations setting up minimum safety standards. By today’s standards, the 1891 legislation was incredibly basic (7). It took a series of horrific mining disasters for Congress to take action a second time. In 1910, Congress established the Bureau of mines. The role of Bureau developed and changed over next 60 years. In 1995, Congress voted to disband it (27). Initially the Bureau was only charged with investigating and coming up with ways to reduce accidents in coal mines. It was not until 1941, when Congress formally allowed Bureau of Mines’ Inspectors into the mines. In 1947, the Congress enacted and adopted a set of federal safety regulations for the inspectors to follow (1). Finally, in 1952 Congress granted the Bureau of Mines the authority to inspect the mines and to issue citations and/or orders of withdrawals. This act was known as the 1952 Coal Act and the penalties were limited to civil penalties. It would take a couple more iterations of mine safety legislation for monetary and criminal penalties to be introduced (10). Up until 1966, mine safety legislation was directed primarily at underground coal mines and surface coal mines. Congress passed the Federal Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act of 1966, thus providing a set of standards for all mines to follow (1). The 1952 Coal Act was amended again to be the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969. This amendment was the beginning of modern mine safety legislation (13). In 1973, Congress created what can be considered the first ‘version’ of the modern day MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration). The initial version was the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administrations or MESA. Congress created MESA to act as the enforcement agency, relieving the Bureau of Mines of that responsibility so they could focus on their initial purpose, the development of countries natural resources (14). As mining industry grew, mine safety and health became a greater concern and priority. More efforts were put in legislating the industry. The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 provided the platform for today’s mine safety and health legislation. Under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, also known as the Mine Act, MSHA came into being (1)."

Jan 1, 2016

By E. Kuipa, J. N. Lekunze

The selection of an underground mining method stems from a multivariate analysis that considers geomechanical, geological, economic, and operational parameters. Even after identifying the most compatible method, there is no assurance that the mining company will achieve the best performance. The geological complexity of some deposits requires adaptations of methods described in the literature to obtain more selectivity and reduce mining waste. There are some studies on geometry of underground structures, but a methodology that describes an adaptation of a room-and-pillar mining method for ore bodies with down-dip varying from 20° to 25° is novel. The present work aimed to reduce dilution by adapting the traditional room-and-pillar mining method (TRP) to inclined ore boLittle attention has been paid to the rehabilitation of derelict and ownerless mines in South Africa after their lifespan. This paper aims to explore management gaps in legislation that have resulted in the non-rehabilitation of derelict and ownerless mines in South Africa. There is growing evidence that supports the distressing effects of mining on people living around these mines in the North West Province. This paper was motivated by the current socio-economic status quo of old mining towns, the influx of illegal miners (Zama Zamas), severe environmental damages, and the violence associated with derelict mines. Underpinning this research was an ecosystem approach and integrated resources management principles, which formed the foundation for the decision-making process.The researcher used a mixed-method approach and employed convergent techniques. A semi-structured instrument was used to collect data from 200 respondents. The results indicated that there is a dire need for community-based consultative processes, and an absence of clear guidelines for derelict and ownerless mines to pressure mine management to adhere to rehabilitation standards. Moreover, the mining charter is ambiguous regarding policy implementation, budgetary allocation, and duration of the rehabilitation of these mines. The paper concluded that management challenges associated with derelict mines can be reduced if all stakeholders follow the guidelines as outlined in the environmental legislative framework (NEMA) of South Africa while being open to innovations in line with international best practices. It also contributes towards the development of guidelines for the management and implementation of legislation related to derelict and ownerless mines in South Africa from a philosophical, theoretical, and policy perspectivedies. This new method is entitled short-hole room-and-pillar (SHRP). The equations that measure the dilution are defined according to the geometry of stopes and openings. The results comprise comparative analyses of the operational and planned dilutions to measure the performance of the SHRP method. The average operating dilution of the SHRP method was more than five times lower than the planned dilution according to the TRP method. Low operational dilution indicates high selectivity of the method and its potential to reduce underground mining tailings.

Oct 9, 2024

By David R. Peterson

This report presents a deep ocean mining operational simulation which is capable of describing the response of the bottom collection unit to specified mining ship maneuvers and the corresponding operation of the mining ship maneuvering system. Bathymetry, obstacles, collector and pipe dynamics and ship maneuvering capabilities are included in the simulation. The simulation is capable of evaluating the technical requirements and operating costs for specified mine plans, Results are useful in assessing mine size requirements and provide operating 'cost 'estimates useful as inputs to deep ocean mining economic feasibility assessments, The simulation is used to determine the consequences of obstacles to mining system operations in terms of impact on mine size requirements and reduced production arising from obstacle avoidance maneuvers of a towed (unsteered) collector.

Jan 1, 1979

By L. C. IlsLey, J. W. Paul, E. J. Gleim

Flame safety lamps have been used in gaseous mines since the Davy lamp was introduced, more than 100 years ago. During the last decade the flame safety lamp has been rapidly replaced by the electric lamp as a device for illuminating the miner's working place; in the United States the electric cap lamp has been widely adopted. For example, in 1911 approximately 45,000 flame lamps and no electric lamps were being used in the Pennsylvania bituminous mines, which were then producing 35 per cent of all the soft coal mined in this country; by 1918 the flame lamps had decreased to 17,000, whereas electric lamps-mostly of one maketotaled nearly 48,000. In Great Britain during the same years the total of 723,934 flame lamps decreased to 590,185 and the electric lamps gained rapidly from 4,298 to 156,521. No later reliable figures are at hand. However, before the flame lamp becomes obsolete, it is fitting that the Bureau of Mines compile a permanent record of a device which has served the mining industry for more than three generations, and not only made possible the development of entire districts that otherwise could not have been worked but undoubtedly saved the lives of thousands of underground workers. Flame safety lamps are capable of doing more than the name indicates. First, under normal conditions, they can be used in a mine atmosphere that contains an explosive mixture of gas and air without great danger of exploding such a mixture, though such use of a flame lamp should not be permitted. Second, to an experienced man they indicate percentages of gas much lower than the explosive limit, and thus can be used to indicate to workers the approach of an unsafe condition in the mine atmosphere. Third, flame lamps will not burn in an atmosphere greatly deficient in oxygen, and they therefore warn the users of such deficiency in time to withdraw to a place of safety. Flame safety lamps are still used rather widely in the United States for general illumination and to a still greater extent for detecting gas. Many coal-producing States require fire bosses to use these lamps in gaseous mines, and the regulations of several States specify that a gIven number of such lamps be kept available for emergency service.

Jan 1, 1924

By Oliver Bowles

Lime is of tremendous importance to modern industries. In agriculture it is regarded as essential to the continued fertility of many important regions; in building it is indispensable, and in the many ramifications of the chemical industries it is so necessary and so widely employed that it has been designated "the king of all the bases." Figure 1 shows a general view of a modern lime plant producing more than 500 tons of lime daily. In 1924 the production of lime was reported from nearly every State in the Union and amounted to more than 4,000,000 tons, valued at, nearly $40,000,000. For a production of that magnitude between 8,000,000 and 9,000,000 tons of limestone are required. The many problems involved in winning this great quantity of raw material from the natural rock and preparing it for the kilns have in the past received little attention from any governmental agency. Therefore, in compliance with a request from representatives of the National Lime Association in 1922, the Bureau of Mines began a study of problems in limestone quarrying in an effort to advance more economical methods of operation and the utilization of waste material. Field studies were made at many quarries, and the information thus compiled, besides data already at hand from work in other branches of the stone industries, were disseminated to operators in the form of mimeographed Reports of Investigations, eight of which were issued at intervals during 1922, 1923, and 1924. A questionnaire was appended to each report, and quarry operators were invited to contribute additional information obtained as a result of their actual experience and observation. Operators of lime plants have been cordial in their responses and have supplied the bureau with much valuable information. From the data thus obtained, supplemented by later field studies, the revised reports have been combined to form the major part of this bulletin, which is believed fairly to represent present knowledge on the subject of quarrying limestone for lime manufacture.

Jan 1, 1927

By A. Roberts

This paper reviews progress in equipment design and in the techniques applied to mine lighting in Great Britain. The incidence of the disease miner's nystagmus, which was a major source of concern only a few years ago, has now diminished, largely owing to improvements in standards of lighting in mines. The reorganisation of the coal mining industry, involving increasing mech-anisation, together with new safety legislation, has brought about the widespread use of mains electric lighting underground. An account is given of some of the results of research to determine the lighting conditions needed for compliance with the compulsory legal requirement of "sufficient and suitable" general lighting at specific localities in British mines. Some details are given of the techniques applied and the results of recent research in the problem of glare from miners' cap lamps. Of the various factors in the working environment of the miner, it is true to say that lighting is seldom given attention comparable with that devoted to other factors, such as dust, heat and humidity, or atmospheric gas content. No doubt one reason for this lies in the ability of the human eye to adapt itself to low brightness levels. Be that as it may, the fact is that at the turn of the 20th century the miner's working light improved little throughout the centuries during which mining technology has developed. Indeed, in coal mines which encounter a methane explosion hazard, flame safety lamps, with a luminous intensity less than one candle power, were virtually the sole means of lighting during almost the whole of the 19th century. The 20th century has witnessed a substantial improvement in lighting techniques underground in coal and metalliferous mining. In Great Britain the general pattern has been one of standards periodically raised by the implementation of Statutory Regulations imposed under successive hlines Acts, but it is fair to add that the more progressive mining companies usually anticipated the Statutory Regulations, which when they have been put into effect have served to turn into general practice what was already being done at the better mines. In earlier years, official requirements were limited to the specification of approved lamp designs, with stipulated minimum values of luminous intensity and light output, but more recently the necessity of satisfactory maintenance of standards during service has been recognized, and the current regulations not only require that a maintenance organisation should exist, but also specify a maximum permissible depreciation below initial approval standards.'

Jan 1, 1961

By J. G. Pippenger

Rio Tinto Coal Australia (RTCA) developed the Meandu Mine in Queensland, Australia in 1983 to supply thermal coal to the adjacent and newly constructed Tarong Power Station (TPS). In designing the mine, RTCA selected Meandu?s best economic reserves for a 27-year life based on station owner Tarong Energy Corp.?s (TECs) estimated life for TPS. That 27-year plan changed dramatically in the early 2000s when TEC approved life extensions to TPS?s four existing units plus construction of a fifth unit. After reviewing Meandu?s remaining reserves, RTCA decided the nearby Kunioon reserve offered the more economic option for maintaining deliveries beyond 2010. Those plans changed again in 2007 when TEC chose to purchase the Meandu Mine and nearby reserves. TEC then selected Thiess Pty Ltd. (Thiess) to continue operating Meandu until the new mine at Kunioon could be developed. After assuming operation of the mine in 2008, Thiess began a review of Meandu?s remaining reserves and found considerable coal available with economic potential. Working jointly with TEC, Thiess performed several analyses on Meandu and subsequently the Kunioon coal reserves. The results changed TEC?s decision from expediting Kunioon?s construction to instead continuing Meandu?s operation for up to 15 additional years.

Jan 1, 2011

By Gordon R. Sima

The contract is concerned with feasibility studies, design and fabrication of a group of prototype hand-held test instruments and machine-mounted test instruments for measurement of electrical shock hazards of mining machines. An instrument for use in open pit mining machine ground wire verification was proposed, developed, built, and tested. This report presents the design and operational theory of the open pit instrument as well as information on the program to improve the original prototype hand-held machine-mounted test instruments.

Jan 1, 1977

By T. E. Gray

This report describes the preparation characteristics of the more significant coalbeds in Butler County, Pa. It is one of a series planned to determine which coals are suitable for producing metallurgical coke, either as mined or after beneficiation. More than 2 million tons of coal was produced in Butler County in 1958, of which about 25 percent was cleaned mechanically in four cleaning plants. Updating the 1942 coal-reserve estimates made by Ashley to December 31, 1958, more than 1,266 million tons of recoverable coal reserves remain in the county in beds that arc 24 inches or more thick. The Upper and Lower Freeport, Upper, Middle, and Lower Kittanning, Clarion, and Brookville beds were selected on the basis of production and estimated minable reserves. Sample locations were chosen after a study of the literature, conferences with mining engineers and mining company officials in the field, and examination of the available sites. Four samples each were collected from the Upper Freeport and Middle Kittanning beds, three samples from the Brookville bed, two, samples from the Upper Kittanning bed, and one sample each from the Lower Freeport, Lower Kittanning, and Clarion beds.

Jan 1, 1960

By Albert L. Toenges

[The i~ ortance o~ S3~e, fdequnt, nQ economical tr~n~po~t~t on 8ys~em Th~a bee~ e~~~~siz8d by the introduction of mechanical loading in co 1 mines, pa.rticula:c y \'r~ e::-e ~o?oile loaciine; ~ac~ine!;j rrre u .... ed. This papar i tr_e . eco:1d or' ?. ~eries deGcribi 1{) t:;'~~11>ort:ltion G stems et1-p oyed in mech3JlizeG. f!lincs. Progre,-s ?. epo~ t J...2.t deal t ~~tirel.: ,'Ii th the l:se of rail .laulagr £or c;atl:erine tran~ortc;tion, ailc, in t-!is paper 'Ii 11 be i acuss d c .icilY rub"col'-t? ro ~ t:tto::"ing as Ie _ as ani:naJ., con-",reyor, an ot.he~ systems of rnil gatheri?1.g. ~ho l)urpo~e of this invosti-gation is, as outlined in Progress ,~ort 1, to studT . Q analyz0 v rious systems nov.: in. u"'e El.I1d to derivQ cor..cl :cicn .... tllcrcfrom.]

Jan 1, 1941

By H. C., Simpson

MANY metals by virtue of their place of occurrence as ore, and their uses are travelers! Iron and steel, for instance, is one of the greatest of travelers in the form of ships and the romance of iron in this respect is only just beginning to be superseded by the stories which can be told of the travels of aluminum and its alloys, used in the building of airplanes. Tin is a traveler from the Straits Settlements to this country and Europe, for use in the canning industry; afterward traveling all over the civilized world as a part of the container for preserved foods. Silver is somewhat of an aristocrat, when its uses are measured against those of the baser metals. From earliest times it has been used for adornment (first perhaps o4 the person and later for the embellishment of weapons and' buildings), for the making of fine ar¬ticles used in the household, and as money. While its uses have been widened by the discoveries in chemistry, electricity and other sciences, its early uses are still much in evidence in our modern life.

Jan 1, 1928

By D. Harrington, W. J. Fene

For nearly 30 years the Bureau of Mines has contended that mine explosions can be prevented and has pointed out to the industry ways and means by which they could be avoided. The record of co2l-mine explosions • during the past fiscal ?Bar bears out the :Bureau1s contention, inasmuch as fewer men were killed by coal-mi~e e:xplosions in the United States during that year than in :gi_y corresponding 12 months in the history of coal mining in the United States, insofar as records are available; and more than a year has elapsed since·a major explosion (in which five or more men were killed) has occurred, this being t.1-J.e first continuous 12- month period without a major coal-mine explosion disaster in the United States in more than 60 years. The methods of preventing mine e:iiplosions are well known to experienced, well-informed persons cngnged in coal mining. Despite this knowledge, many coal-mine operutors continue to use practices and methods that they should know have resulted in countless explosions, and mine workers persist in following past procedure or in breaking safety rules and practices almost certain eventually to result in disaster. ' Virtually all explosions are the result of human failure, such as carelessness or neglect by officials or workers or others. These human failures can be corrected chiefly by ed.ucation and proper and adequate supervision and strict discipline. In some instances mine officials are ·lax, careless, poorl~• informed, and often incompetent; end in many instances miners have repulsed the introduction of known preventive methods because of sheer obstinacy, ignorance, heedlessness, or possibly fear that the operator was trying to o'bta.in some unfair adva.,.'1. tago or would neglect some other phase of accident or e,:plosion prevention. The freedom of the fiscal year 1938-39 from major coal-mine explosions ar..d frora any considera~le number of fat,JJ.i ties from minor explosions is a. matter for congratulation, but on the other hand. the occurrence of one rather bad e~losion in each of tho 3 calendar years 1937

Nov 1, 1939

By L. D. Tracy

This is the third of the series of reports on coal-mine royalties and leasing conditions in Illinois. The results of the study of District VI were published as Serial No. 2726, January, 1926, and those of District VIII as Serial No. 2745, April, 1926, of the Bureau of mines. The counties of Macoupin, Sangamon, and Montgomery, which are three of the principal coal-producing areas in the northern part of District VII, have been chosen for this report because these counties cover an entirely different part of the State than do the two districts already covered. Some leases in, Randolph and Washington counties are included as they are in the southern part of the district, and the data happened to be readily available.

Jan 1, 1926

By Arthur H. Redfield

The expansion of city street laving which characterized the ten years ended December 31, 1929, according to a survey of 201 representative cities, made by the bureau of Mines, reached it climax in 1927, with decreases reported for 1928 and 1929. The upward trend, followed by a decline, was general in cities of all sizes included in this study, but was most pronounced in cities of 40,000 to 100,600 inhabitant and in the Northeastern, Southeastern, and Southwestern States. In the North-Central States the trend of paving; was downward from 1925 to 1929; in the Pacific, and Rocky Mountain States it was generally upward. Over the nation as a whole, bituminous types of paving continued to lead, furnishing two-thirds of the total street pavement laid in the 201 cities from 1925 to 1929. The actual yardage of bituminous pavement laid in these cities, however, was 3.8 per cent less in 1923-than in 1925, and the ratio of bituminous pavement to the total pavement t dropped from 70.4 per cent in 1925 to 62.1 per cent in 1928, rising to 65.1 per cent in 1929. The area paved with Portland-cement concrete amounted to only one-fourth of the total, pavement laid in these cities from 1925. to 1923., but the yardage of Portland-cement pavement increased by half during the period, and its share in the total pavement grew from 19.3 per cent in 1925 to 30.0 per cent in 1928, declining to 29.5 per cent in 1929. Brick, block, and stone pavements, which constituted the remaining one-twelfth of the total pavement laid in the 201 cities, decreased one-third in yardage, and declined in relative importance from 10.3 per cent in 1925 to 6.6 per cent in 1929.

Jan 1, 1931

By Paul M. Tyler

Graphite occurs in many places in the United States, but previous to 1914 the domestic production amounted to only 15 to 20 per cent of the natural graphite consumed in this country. Including artificial, graphite, the proportion was about 25 per cent. During the World War the production of both natural and artificial graphite increased until, in 1918 it, contributed more than one-half of the available supply, and since 1919 the proportion has not fallen below 40 per cent. Except during the war period, however, this apparently increasing independence has not been due to any large increase in production from domestic mines. It simply reflects a larger output of artificial graphite and reduced imports of Ceylon lung and chip, grades which have never been produced in substantial quantity in the United States. DOMESTIC DEPOSITS3 American graphite deposits, though numerous and often large, are characteristically low-grade. They constitute an abundant source of potential supply, but in normal times they have proved relatively costly to work, and even at the same price the various products have never been able wholly to displace certain imported qualities, notably crucible grades from Ceylon and pencil graphite from Mexico.

Jan 1, 1929

By Donald Koch

The project investigated regional impacts of mining on the ground water system of the Powder River Basin by: 1) establishment of a regional ground water monitoring network, and 2)development of , set of digital computer models to simulate ground water flow and quality, ground water contributions to surface water flow and quality (i.e., baseflow), and watershed run-off and recharge. Over 100 wells were monitored for physical and chemical parameters. Data were used as input to the model; and for the development of a comprehensive data base. The basin was modeled on a regional and subregional scale using a finite -difference model employing an alternating difference technique. Two water-shed models were evaluated for their ability to provide runoff and recharge inputs to the basic ground water model. Application of the regional and subregional models using conservative mining scenarios showed that drawdowns may extend west from the mines as far as ten miles but that impacts would be insignificant on a regional scale. The watershed model could be effectively applied to small watersheds only.

Jan 1, 1982

By Earl R. Maize

Epoxy and polyester-type resins were injected into coal-mine roof strata of the thick Freeport coal seam in Allegheny County, Pa., at test sites in roof that had been exposed several weeks, in newly exposed roof, and in strata over solid coal. Test results indicate that the method of strengthening bituminous-coal-mine roof by injecting a bonding material into the roof strata can be developed into a safe, efficient support system. If roof bonding will become a standardized method of roof support and reinforcement or if it can be effective when used with other types of roof support can be determined only by extensive experimentation in various coal beds. Observations and conclusions are shown at the end of this report.

Jan 1, 1959