Search Documents

By H. A. Doerner

"The following report is submitted, in compliance with the request made by the Honorable W. H. Sproule, Chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining, to the Director of the United States Bureau of Mines, that the bureau investigate the most modern processes for the production of radium from its ores. A thorough search of technical publications and patent office files was made. Outstanding authorities on the subject as well as persons claiming novel or secret methods were interviewed.Unlike most other elements, it is not possible for radium to occur naturally in a pure or concentrated form. This is because radium is one of a series of unstable elements which, by a constant, spontaneous, atomic disintegration, change from one element to the next in the series. Uranium is the ""grandparent"" of radium. The rates at which radium atoms are ""born"" and ""die"" are so related that only one part of radium can exist in equilibrium with three million parts of uranium. Consequently radium is only found associated with uranium minerals, and the ratio of radium to uranium is never more than one to three million. Since uranium is a rather rare element, the scarcity of radium is almost beyond comprehension. Nevertheless minute traces of radium can be detected in nearly all rocks.The carnotite ores of Colorado and Utah were the chief source of radium for many years.In the fall of 1922 news of the very rich deposits of radium ore discovered in the Belgian Congo caused most complete cessation of domestic production. The Congo ore contains pitchblende and a number of alteration products, including the new minerals bequerelite, curite, krasolite, stasite, and dewindite. Reports indicate that a considerable amount of ore containing over 50 per cent uranium oxide has been produced. It seemed certain that radium could be extracted from the Conga ore at a much lower cost than from the relatively low-grade carnotite; and in order to preserve their elaborate marketing organizations, the larger American producers made agreements with the Belgian syndicate to market the foreign product in this country. The retail price of radium has been held at $70 per milligram, but large orders are filled as low as $50. Extraction of radium from carnotite by the usual methods does not appear to be profitable at that price with one exception, all American firms ceased production after their accumulated stocks of ore had been treated. The United States Radium Co., which continued to treat carnotite for several years, finally shut down its plant."

Dec 1, 1930

The Black Hills Mineral Atlas briefly summarizes all important data available on the mines and mineral deposits in the Black Hills that have been explored, developed, mined, or located. The purpose of the atlas is threefold; First, from available data the general potentialities of the Black Hills region can be determined, although it is not possible to calculate actual ore reserves; second, it will provide the necessary basic information regarding a given property or commodity for further detailed study; and third, the compilation is a comprehensive directory of Black Hills deposits.

Jan 1, 1955

By Paul M. Tyler

The literature on radium is already voluminous, but mcuh of it is too technical to be intelligible to the average reader, and there is no single publication that covers certain economic features of the radium industry. As a result of the renewed interest in the possibilities of domestic carnotite deposits a number of requests have been made to the Bureau of Mines for information, more particularly with reference to the business aspects of the industry. In order to meet this apparent need, the present paper has been prepared from material available in the files of the bureau. The technical data are compiled from various sources and are believed to be reasonably dependable, but the attempt has been not so much to achieve meticulous scientific accuracy as to brim; together facts of industrial significance and popular interest. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Radium is a brilliant white metal that melts sharply at about 700°C. and volatilizes appreciably at that temperature. With an estimated specific gravity of nearly 6.0, it is more than twice as heavy as aluminum and 25 per cent lighter than irons. Although it has been isolated in its metallic state, it is not used in that form, partly because it tarnishes rapidly even in dry air (forming a nitride), partly because of the greater expense of reducing it to metal, and partly because of the difficulty of dealing with such minute quantities of material. It is used always in the form of its compounds, the most important of which from the vie point of utilization are the bromide, chloride, and sulphate.

Jan 1, 1930

By Michel C. Frippel

This section of the Minerals Yearbook reviews the minerals industries of 29 countries: the 12 nations of the European Community (Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Denmark/Greenland, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, and Ireland); 6 of the 7 nations of the European Free Trade Association (Sweden, Nor-way, Finland, Iceland, Austria, and Switzerland); Malta; the 8 Centrally Planned Economies of Eastern Europe (the German Democratic Republic (GDR), Poland, Yugoslavia, Albania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria); and the U.S.S.R. Western Europe Western Europe [loosely defined to include the 12 nations of the European Com-munity (EC) and the 7 nations of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)] is the single largest trading area and consumer of raw materials in the world. If Western Europe was at one time an important mining sector, it has now increasingly relegated the role of supplying minerals for its minerals processing industry to its ex-colonies in North and South America, Africa, and Australia. In this regard, Western Europe is the most important determinant of raw materials consumption (and thus raw materials production). There is an important reason for this since Western Europe lies somewhere between Japan at one extreme and the United States and the U.S.S.R. at the other extreme as regards the availability of natural resources.

Jan 1, 1992

It is a pleasure to submit to the National Critical Materials Council (Council) some of my thoughts concerning the important tasks which lie before you. It long has been my belief that America's economic health and national security may depend to a substantial degree on whether we have available to us an adequate supply of critical and strategic materials at reasonable cost. To the extent the Council can contribute to the identification and implementation of wise public policies which facilitate the achievement of that goal, we and our children should be grateful. Even before assuming office, President Reagan warned of the danger of undue dependence on imported materials essential to the Nation's defense and economic well-being. After his election, he appointed a transition task force on strategic and critical materials, and he later directed the Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and Environment to prepare .a National Materials and Minerals Program Plan and Report to Congress, which he forwarded to the Congress in April 1982. In 1984, my predecessor, Secretary Clark, established the National Strategic Materials and Minerals Program Advisory Committee, popularly known as the "Mott Committee" because of its distinguished chairman, retired Admiral William C. Mott.

Jan 1, 1986

By D. T. Randall, H. W. Weeks

The burning of coal without smoke is a problem that concerns the Government directly because of the advantages of smokeless combustion both in public buildings and on naval vessels. In addition, smoke abatement is a factor in conserving the fuel resources of the United States. Hence, as part of its general investigation of the best methods of utilizing the coals of this country, the Bureau of Mines, which is in charge of the fuel-testing work formerly carried on by the United States Geological Survey, has made extended tests to determine the conditions necessary for the smokeless combustion of bituminous coal in boiler furnaces. Bulletin 39,a a preliminary report, treats the smoke problem from a theoretical point of view, detailing the steps that are being taken by . municipalities, manufacturers, and citizens to abate smoke, also showing the possibility of a clean city. The present bulletin not only shows that bituminous coals high in volatile matter can be burned without smoke, but also that large plants carrying loads that fluctuate widely, where boilers over banked fires must be put into service quickly and fires forced to the capacity of their units, can be operated without producing smoke that is objectionable. Proper equipment, efficient labor, and intelligent supervision are the necessary factors.

Jan 1, 1912

By W. L. EGY, GEORGES. RICE, L. M. JONES, J. K. CLEMENT

This report has been prepared, not only for the purpose of recording the results of the first series of coal-dust tests conducted in the experimental mine of the Bureau of Mines, but also to place before the mining public a description of the mine and an account of the objects sought in its establishment. Soon after the organization of the technologic branch of the United States Geological Survey, J. A. Holmes, then chief of the branch, concluded that for the solution of various problems relating to the causes and prevention of mine explosions it would be best to carry on large-scale tests in a mine rather than in a surface gallery. The idea of utilizing the underground passage of a mine for making explosion experiments did not at' first meet with general approval among investigators in this country or abroad. Many thought a mine passage was not a proper place in which scientific tests could be conducted, as great difficulty in controlling conditions was expected. However, after all arguments for and against such an investigation had been carefully considered, plans for opening an experimental mine were definitely adopted by the Bureau of Mines in 1910, and an allotment of funds was made to carry out the project. The first endeavor was to find an existing mine suitable for the purpose, but the mines offered by owners were either worked out, were wet, had poor roofs, or presented complications of various kinds, so that it was finally decided to open a mine if a site could be obtained having natural conditions that would fill the various requirements. A most desirable location was found on property of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., near Bruceton, Pa. The president of this company, Mr. W. K. Field, the general manager, Mr. G. W. Schluederberg, and the chief engineer, Mr. E. J. Taylor, rendered every possible service in

Jan 1, 1913

By W. F. RITTMAN, E. W. Dean

This report presents the results of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Mines for the purpose of assisting in the establishment of a satisfactory standard method for the analytical distillation of petroleum, a problem of great importance to the petroleum industry. Experiments were performed for the purpose of studying the charac- teristics of methods typical of those in use; comparative studies were made of the efficiencies of the principal types of fractionation ap- paratus available to the petroleum chemist; and the characteristics of a type of apparatus that the results of the experiments seemed to indicate was best adapted to the purpose were investigated in detail. Also, some experiments were made to determine the effect of cracking as a factor in the analytical distillation of petroleum in still heads.

Jan 1, 1916

During the period January 1, 1977 through July 31, 1977, 5 percent (264,000 tons) of U.S. capacity was closed due to power curtailments in the Pacific Northwest because of the shortage of water. During July, one plant in Tennessee cut production by 50,000 tons annually due to a power reduction by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Full capacity production was resumed at a West Virginia smelter during September. If demand for aluminum is strong it seems likely that aluminum supply during the remainder of 1977 and in 1978 will be tight. The price was increased 3¢ per pound to 51¢ per pound effective March 28, 1977, and by an additional 2¢ per pound to 53¢ per pound, effective July 5, 1977. New projects and expansion of existing facilities are planned by Australian aluminum companies over the next 2 to 3 years. The companies listed have committed themselves to spending approximately A$801 million: Alcoa of Australia Ltd. -New alumina plant at Wagerup, south of Perth. Darling Ranges bauxite is located near the proposed project. A$650 million. Coma 1 co Industries Pty. Ltd. -Increase bauxite mining capacity and upgrade or replace other facilities at its Weipa mines on Cape York Peninsula region of Northern Queensland. A$81 million. Alcan Australia Ltd. -Expansion program that will increase capacity of the Kurri Kurri aluminum smelter north of Sydney about 50 percent, and improvement of other facilities at the plant. A$70 million.

Jan 1, 1977

By Jos. R. Guiteras

This paper is one of r series published by the Bureau of Mines dealing with the mineral resources of western South Dakota. The mining of pegmatite minerals is described mainly from the standpoint of the feldspar industry, as most of the other .pegmatite minerals produced are recovered as byproducts from the mining of feldspar. Feldspar is shipped from the Black Hills by three companies, all operating in the southern Hills. Because the pegmatites of the northern Hills, represented by tae Tinton area, have been described in other papers3/ of this series, the present paper is confined to the pegmatite dikes of the southern Black Hills. Emphasis is placed upon the current activity in pegmatite mining; little attention is given to the history of many famous mines in the district, and information concerning them may be obtained by consulting resorts cited in the bibliography. The field work was carried on from July 28 to October 15, 1938. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The geology of the Black Hills has been studied almost continuously during the last half century. A wealth of literature has attempted to explain the geology and mineralogy of the pegmatite dikes of this region. The writer acknowledges his indebtedness to all earlier investigators, as well as to the following men, whose assistance in the field was of particular value: F. C. Lincoln, professor of mining, South Dakota School of Mines; Mont Heumphreus, State mine inspector, South Dakota; Harold. H. Eyrich, superintendent, and Batemen Eilbeck, mine foreman, b. E. Schundler Feldspar Co.; J. W. Mitchell, field man, Consolidated Feldspar Corporation; John Wells, mine operator and local mineral buyer, Ouster, S. Dak.; Frank Hughes, general superintendent, and Harry Wasson, nine foreman, Hugo mine; D. W. Peterson, mine superintendent, Etta mine.; Lon Walker, Mine superintendent, Peerless

Jan 1, 1940

By Albert E. Long

THIS GLOSSARY is published lay the Bureau of Mines as a contribution too the mining literature to fill a long-felt need for a compilation of the terms used by the diamond-drilling industry. The first step toward preparation of the glossary was taken in October 1955 when the Diamond Core Drill Manufacturers Association (DCDMA) proposed that the Bureau of Mines undertake the cons compilation and publication of a glossary of the terms used by the diamond-drilling industry. The work was authorized in July 1956, and a preliminary draft of the glossary was completed in may 1958. Copies of the draft were submitted for review to members of the DCDMA and appropriate personnel of the Bureau of Mines. The final draft, incorporating the many helpful suggestions of the reviewers representing both the diamond-drilling industry and the Bureau of Mines, was completed in March 1959.

Jan 1, 1960

Geophysical Abstracts 1 - 86 wore issued in mimeographed form by the Bureau of Mines; Abstracts 87 - 111 were published in bulletins of the Geological Survey; Abstracts 112 - 119 were issued in mimeographed form by the Bureau of Mines as Information it ion Circulars 7256, 7257, 7267, 7273, 7285, 7292, 7303, and 7310. 1. GRAVITATIONAL METHODS 7786. Barton, D. C.3/ Case Histories and Quantitative Calculations in Gravimotric Prospecting. Am. Inst. Min. and Meat. Eng., New York, Tech. Pub. 1760, 1944, 49 pp.

Jan 1, 1945

By V. H. Gottschalk

Sponge iron is a product resulting from the reduction of an iron oxide below the temperature at which the product melts. Commercial grades usually contain 80 to 95 percent metallic iron, 2 to 5 percent unreduced iron oxide, and an amount of siliceous gangue material depending on the pur.ity of the are used for reduction. The reducing agent may be gaseous or solid, and a large variety of procedures have been proposed for bringing the reducing agent into reaction with the iron oxide. Of the proposed procedures, the one that has the distinction of having been in continuous commercial operation for the longest time, from 1911 to date, was developed at a ceramic plant in Hoeganaes, Sweden, and yields? a product that has an enviable reputation as furnace feed wherever special, high-quality steels are made.

Jan 1, 1948

By R. Craig Smith

This report presents the software documentation for PREY AL, a prefeasibility mineral property evaluation program developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines on a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. It is presented in a step-by-step "user?s manual" format. Appendixes contain the technical assumptions, program default values, and a summary printout detailing capital and operating costs and cash-flow analysis.

Jan 1, 1992

By A. L. Murray

First -aid training as an adjunct to safety is receiving more wide spread recognition in the industries every year . Moreover , the adoption of a program for giving firstaid training to practically all employees at a mine or plant is based upon the experience gained and good results obtained from standard first -aid instruction during the past two decades . In the near future industries that desire to maintain a low accident rate , to decrease compensation costs , to reduce lost time , and to build up an efficient , loyal working force , will recognize that training in first aid is one way of attaining these results with little expenditure of time and effort . Progressive organizations will require every man from the superintendent down to take first - aid training and not , as heretofore , only a small percentage of the working force . When employees learn that first - aid training can be applied not only at their daily tasks but in their homes and on tthhee highways ,, they will welcome the opportunity of learning how to care for injuries and perhaps save lives . In a limited way first - aid instruction was given to miners as early as 1899 . Later , in 1904 , a few of the companies in the Pennsylvania anthracite district inaugurated the distribution of first - aid packets to their employees and instructed them in the use of the contents . It remained , however , for a branch of the United States Government to grasp the real significance of widespread first - aid training as an effective means of saving life and minimizing suffering from the large number of accidents among workers in the mineral industries . The United States , owing to its vast resources , both natural and human , for

Jan 1, 1930

By A. D. McMahon

This survey is one of a series of Bureau of Mines publications designed to serve the needs of Government and industry for comprehensive information on mineral commodities and activities. Copper, a versatile metal, has been vital to all civilizations from prehistoric times to the present. Its essential value in antiquity and until the nineteenth century arose from its malleability and ease of working, its corrosion resistance and durability', its attractive colors in alloyed and unalloyed forms, and, of course, its availability. The principal uses were for tools, utensils, vessels, weapons, pipe, statuary and other objects of art, and for building and architectural pur£~ses where formability, permanence, and beaut)" were necessary qualities. Utilization of copper based on these physical and mechanical properties has grown tremendously for commercial, structural, mechanical, architectural, and art items; and its capacity for forming numerous alloys has led to a myriad of applications from miniature copper and brass eyelets to huge bronze battleship propellers. The early nineteenth century marks the epoch of the greatest use of copper, transmitting electrical energy. This particular property of copper is fundamental to the spectacular growth of the electrical industry and all associated industries relying on electricity for power, light, and heat. More than half of all copper produced is used for transmission of electricity. The copper industry has been able to expand along with the mounting demand because of the ever increasing discovery of resources in the world and advances in mining, metallurgical, and fabricating technologies. World production and consumption rose progressively from about 18,000 tons in 1800 to more than 4.5 million tons in 1960. The estimated world reserve of primary- copper has more than doubled since 1935, being 212 million tons in 1960. Ninety percent of this reserve is credited to eight countries-the United States, Canada, Chile, Peru, the Soviet Union, Poland, Northern Rhodesia, and the Republic of the Congo. The United States share is 32.5 million tons of copper in ore, averaging approximately 0.9 percent. Another reserve being accumulated in the industrial countries of the world is copper products now in use that will eventually be discarded as scrap and become available for recovering secondary copper. In the United States this resource of more than 30 million tons, provides about one-fourth of the annual supply.

Jan 1, 1965

By Mark S. Sanders

There is a growing awareness among mining professionals that the human factor plays a significant role in safety and productivity. Since the 1960's, the science of human factors, or ergonomics, has been making inroads into the mining industry, and a considerable amount of research has documented human-factor-related mining problems and solutions. This Bureau of Mines report is directed toward summarizing the application of human factors to improving safety, productivity, and the general physical and psychological working conditions of miners. The aim of this report is to familiarize the readers with the role of human factors in the mining industry and the benefits that can accrue by systematically applying available human factors principles and data. The text contains 10 chapters dealing with human, equipment, and environmental factors. Each chapter builds on the previous chapter; therefore, it is recommended that the chapters be read sequentially However, if the report is used as a supplemental text, say in a mining safety course, chapters can be assigned in any order to supplement other readings.

Jan 1, 1988

By Oliver Bowles

In 1940 the Bureau of Mines issued a report describing all the cement plants of Latin America, their design, capacity, and output, and the cement imports, exports, and requirements of the several countries. Since that time there has been such great activity in cement plant construction that a revision of the paper is highly desirable. The present compilation comprises the essential data in the previous report together with descriptions of all cement plants completed, under construction, or planned since that date and an overall picture of the supply and requirement situation of each country. Before World War I, Latin America was one of the world's largest export markets for cement. Its dependence on outside sources created no special problems of supply until the shortage of shipping and abnormally high prices of the First World War stimulated a movement toward greater self-sufficiency. Under this incentive many cement plants were constructed, and several countries were able by 1939 to manufacture enough cement for their modest needs. Substantial imports were still required for many important areas, and as the volume of demand was rapidly increasing the Latin American countries as a whole were far from self-sufficient in cement when tine Second. World War began. South and Central America depended to a large extent on European countries, chiefly Germany arid Belgium and to a smaller degree Scandinavia, United Kingdom, France, and Italy, to Supply their cement shortages. The cost of manufacture in these European countries was much lower than in the United States, and transportation expense had been kept at a particularly low level because of the two-way trade that had been developed. Ships destined for Latin American ports for coffee, tropical woods; fruits, and other native products could carry cargoes of cement on their westward voyages at very low cost In some instanced cement was taken in exchange for South American -products because cash was not available. Great Britain had withdrawn from this market to quite an extent because of low prices and because trade with its own Empire had been increasingly fostered. United States trade in cement with Latin America had been confined principally to white and other special varieties. In few places could ordinary portland cement made in the United States compete in price with the European products; although in general it was of better quality and cool d be delivered more promptly.

Jan 1, 1946

By Heber E. Peterson, Sill. Claude W.

"INTRODUCTION In the usual volumetric determination of uranium, the solution containing uranium is reduced in a Jones reductor, yielding a mixture of trivalent and tetravalent uranium; the trivalent uranium is oxidized to the tetravalent state by bubbling a stream of air through the solution. The resulting solution of tetravalent uranium is titrated with a standard oxidant, generally sulfatoceric acid, dichromate, or permanganate. It seemed likely that the same general procedure could be used in determining semimicro quantities pf uranium if the conditions affecting the variables involved were understood more clearly than at present. In the method described below, the use of ferric sulfate to oxidize tetravalent uranium allows the titration to be made at room temperature in an essentially colorless solution with sulfatoceric acid. The latter oxidant in turn permits the use of the very stable indicator, ferroin; with its sharp color change and exactly reproducible blanks.Solutions of uranyl sulfate were prepared by diluting a stock solution that had been standardized gravimetrically according to the method of Lundell and Knowles (8).3/ Solutions of sulfatoceric acid were prepared according to the directions of G. F. Smith (12) and were standardized against arsenic trioxide in the presence of osmic acid according to the directions of Glen (5). The cerium solutions were stored in 18-liter carboys fitted with siphon arrangements so that the bottles did not need to be opened and protected from light in a dark cupboard. Under these conditions, even the 0.01 N solution changed by less than 1 part per thousand over a period of about 6 months."

Jun 1, 1952

The extremely cold weather and heavy snowstorms of January and February in northeastern Pennsylvania--with frozen mining equipment, diminished preparation and lack of railroad cars--severely hampered the production and distribution of anthracite. As a result, the previous estimates for the 2 months have been revised. On March 1, 1977, at the Porter Tunnel of the Kocher Coal Company at Tower City, Pa., an underground flash flood, which apparently broke through the wall of an adjoining abandoned shaft, swept through the mine. As of March 9, 1977, four miners were reported killed, three injured, and five trapped in the wreckage. The Kocher Coal Company began operations at the Porter Tunnel in 1968 and has had no fatalities until this current tragedy. The mine employs 20 persons on the surface and 115 miners underground, producing 750 tons of coal per day. Of the 109 underground mining operations in the anthracite region, this is the one remaining large mine that employs over 100 men.

Jan 1, 1977