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By John C. Holtz

"INTRODUCTION Information on the gaseous products from the detonation of explosives has been obtained in two ways. In the first, the atmosphere in mines is analyzed after blasting, and in the second, the gases found after detonating an explosive in a testing apparatus are analyzed. The Bureau of Mines, in a cooperative research 3/ that compared data obtained in the field with those obtained in the testing station, showed that the results were not in entire agreement. The production of carbon monoxide was found to be governed chiefly by the oxygen balance of the explosive, but the production of oxides of nitrogen did not change in so simple a manner. Because of the increasing interest in correlations between the composition of the explosive and the production of toxic gases, it seemed desirable to continue the investigation.PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATIONAs field tests are both time consuming and expensive and as field results are affected by factors that are not always under control of or clearly evaluated by the operator, the purpose of this investigation is to develop a testing-station procedure that will reproduce the gaseous products quantitatively under known conditions analogous to those that may be expected in the field. In addition, the factors affecting the formation of toxic gases, particularly oxides of nitrogen, will be studied,"

Apr 1, 1940

By W. E. Lamont

The Federal Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with phosphate companies in the Florida land-pebble area, made a comprehensive study of the waste clays, or "phosphate slimes," produced in the mining of phosphate rock in Florida. These slimes represent a significant ecological problem and a major deterrent to effective land recovery in the phosphate-mining areas. Physical, chemical, and mineralogical studies were made of slime samples submitted by 15 of the 16 plants in Florida in an effort to identify factors that prevent successful consolidation of the slimes and subsequent recovery of the mined lands. Results of these studies indicated that the clay mineral attapulgite, a hydrated magnesium silicate, was primarily responsible for the very poor settling characteristics of the slimes, and that the quantity of attapulgite in the slimes effectively controlled the settling rate, pulp density of terminal solids, viscosity, percent solids of filter cake, and flocculant requirements.

Jan 1, 1975

By Jerry J. Gray

The utilization of secondary titanium was determined in a study by the Bureau of Mines, and a 10-year statistical table showing supply and distribution patterns is presented in this report. Over the total 10-year period, estimated scrap consumption is larger than estimated scrap supply. Trends from the estimated data indicate that titanium is in short supply and probably will continue to be in the future. Because of higher processing costs for recycle scrap, scrap will tend to migrate to the steel and aluminum industries and to ferrotitanium production and exports. Nonrecoverable losses of titanium metal during processing was determined to be a potential area for research.

Jan 1, 1971

By Neal M. Muir, Robert S. Sanford, Bruce I. Thomas

"INTRODUCTION The presence of the zinc-lead-copper deposits an the north slope of Mount Eielson, Mount McKinley National Park, Alaska, has been known for many years. The deposits were examined by J. C. Reed, a geologist of the United States Geological Survey during the summer of 1931. In the summer of 1943 the authors and Clyde Wahrhaftig, a geologist of the Geological Survey, examined the deposits.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSIn its program of investigation of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Mines has as its primary objective the more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the and that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. It is the policy of the Bureau to publish the facts developed by each project as soon as practicable after its conclusion. The Mining Branch, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts preliminary examinations, performs the actual investigative work, and prepares the final report. The Metallurgical Branch, Oliver C. Ralston, chief, analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests.Particular acknowledgment is due to Heine Kenworthy, who conducted the beneficiation tests under the supervision of C. Travis Anderson; to Clyde Wahrahaftig of the Geological Survey, who completed the Geologic and topographic maps, to Grant Pearson of the National Park Service; and to O. M. Grant and Mrs. Frank McGarvoy for their assistance during the examination."

Nov 1, 1947

By Alvin Schallis

The. problem of supplying enough magnesia for the American war effort has become highly important. Before hostilities began, only about two-thirds of our, require vents came from domestic sources; now they must supply almost all the magnesia we need. A further burden is placed upon our own supply by the fact that more and more magnesia is being required, not alone to pace the war tempo of general industrial activity, but also to replace chrome ore in refractories and to make magnesium metal. The domestic magnesite and brucite industry is equipping itself to satisfy much of this greater demand for magnesia, but the remainder must be obtained elsewhere. The principal sources of magnesia are magnesite, brucite, dolomite or high-magnesium limestone, natural brines, sea water, salt-works bitterns, magnesium silicates, and magnesium salts. Although dolomite is tae subject of this paper, it should be considered in perspective with all these highly competitive sources of magnesia.

Jan 1, 1943

By W. H. Tomlinson

One of the more important functions of the Federal Bureau of Mines is conservation of the life and health of employees of the mineral and allied industries. Since its very beginning the Bureau has encouraged competition between mine rescue and first-aid teams as a means of stimulating interest in safety and accident-prevention work. In addition to sponsoring competition on a national and international scale during the past 45 years, the Bureau has also assisted State mining departments, mining companies, and mining organizations in holding State, district, company, and other local meets. This assistance includes providing instructors to train teams, judges, and other contest officials. The Bureau has also furnished problems and outlines for working them, judges I discount sheets (scorecards), contest rules, and problem judges. In fact, Bureau representatives participate in nearly all State, district, and company contests and have bad complete charge of some contests.

Jan 1, 1956

Now more than ever, the United States must have an adequate and dependable supply of minerals to meet its defense and economic needs. A chief mission of the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Mines is to help ensure that the United States meets these needs at acceptable environmental, energy, and economic costs. As it looks toward the 21st century, the Bureau of Mines will focus its attention on the following areas: - upgrading the capabilities of its mineral information and analysis program - expanding mineral land assessment activities - disseminating the practical results of federally funded research activities to the private sector through enhanced technology transfer - addressing the impact of regulations on mineral industries - addressing the needs for mineral-oriented training and research in the Nation's universities - enhancing mine worker health and safety - improving mining and mineral processing productivity through automation, robotics and other innovative technologies - reducing the environmental impact of mining and mineral processing operations - and enhancing the accessibility and conservation of domestic mineral resources.

Jan 1, 1991

By Northcutt Ely

This volume summarizes mining and petroleum legislation in 25 jurisdictions of East Asia and the Pacific. Within these jurisdictions, primary attention is given to requirements that must be met in each country for acquisition of rights to permit development of mineral resources. Coverage includes: First, identification of the controlling laws or statutes governing minerals acquisition and reference to the administrative authority; second, analysis of the laws governing mines and quarries and their products; and third, analysis of laws applicable to natural gas, petroleum, and related materials. Where pertinent, sections dealing with historical background or administration have been added. In countries where minerals are subject to control of States or Provinces, those areas are considered separately from the central government.

Jan 1, 1971

By W. A. Young

Vermiculite deposits on the. Platt ranch, 12 miles southeast of Encampment Carbon County, Wyo., were investigated by the Bureau of Mines early in 1949. Major activity was centered on property held under lease by the Mikolite Mining & Development Co. (figs. 1 and 2). Vermiculite occurs in masses and lenses of varying size and as disseminations in altered hornblende diorite. Alteration of the host rock probably resulted from the proximity of dikes and irregular masses of pegmatite. Investigation of the Mikolite property consisted of surface trenching, diamond drilling, and sampling. Four trenches totaling 5,401 linear feet were excavated with a bulldozer and Diesel power shovel. Three diamond-drill holes totaling 600 feet were drilled from the surface to determine the character of mineralization at depth. Eighty-one bulk samples were obtained from the trenches, and 130 sludge samples were collected from the drill holes. Samples were analyzed, and ore-dressing tests were made in the Bureau of Mines laboratories at Salt Lake City.

Jan 1, 1952

By Jr. Holmes

The Bureau of Mines drilled and sampled the more important magnesite deposits in the Currant Creek Mining District, White Pine County, Nev. The properties of the Ala-Mar Magnesium Co., Inc., and the Nevada Magnesite Co. were examined in August 1942 by D. W. Butner, engineer of the Bureau of Mines, to determine the advisability of investigating the deposits under the strategic minerals program. Development involving diamond drilling, trenching, and sampling was started September 1, 1942, and was completed in the latter part of November 1942. The deposits are on unsurveyed public land in T. 12N., B. 59 E., M.D.B.&M., in an area of high relief ranging from 7,300 to 8,100 feet in altitude. Both properties are situated northwest of the Tonopah-Ely Highway, U.S. Highway 6, from which a dirt road extends about 4.6 miles northwesterly, about 35 miles southwest of Ely, to the Ala-Mar property, and another dirt road extends about 10 miles westerly, about 26 miles southwest of Ely, to the Nevada Magnesite property. The magnesite occurs as irregular nodules, veins, and lenses in a bedded calcareous tuff formation, which overlies a group of volcanic rocks, and which is capped by remnants of rhyolite flows.

Jan 1, 1950

By S. M. Runke

The purpose of the work described in this publication was to determine, on a pilot-plant scale, the practicability of concentrating low-grade bauxite deposits to render them suitable for the extraction of alumina. In 1941, when it became apparent that the United States might soon be drawn into war, the government, through its various agencies and bureaus, began to stimulate and increase production from domestic reserves of bauxite, which is the principal raw material for the production of aluminum. This activity, which was centered in Arkansas, where 95 percent of the domestic reserve is situated, reached peak production when enemy submarine warfare greatly hindered imports from foreign sources. During this period the average domestic production in Arkansas rose from approximately 300,000 long wet tons to something over 6,000,000 tons in 1943.

Jan 1, 1949

By J. F. Barkley

To aid in winning the recent world war, the Bureau of Mines conducted a National Fuel Efficiency Program, directed to commercial plants throughout the Nation, to save greatly needed fuel, a basic resource vital to industrial production. In planning this program it was realized that to accomplish a satisfactory reduction in fuel consumption in any plant, it would be necessary to reach, enthuse, and usually educate to some extent the actual operators of the various types of plant equipment. A major part of the programs consisted, therefore, of visits to plants and work with the operators, including a review with them of their operating conditions and of educational and guiding literature pertinent to the operating problems involved. Through a Nation-wide organization, local volunteer engineers served in making visits to local plants. Each cooperating plant appointed an employee as the "waste chaser," who headed the work of saving fuel in that plant. The educational literature was designed to interest the operator, as well as serve as a guide in eliminating waste of fuel. Volumes have been written on many subjects relating to the saving of fuel. Writings of the treatise type contain considerable good information but do not have wide appeal and probably will be read only by a few studious operators. The problem is not one of getting clown on paper everything that the experts know and would like to have the operator know, but rather to write something that will actually interest the operator and stimulate him to action. Past experience led to the adoption, therefore, of the "quiz-sheet" type of writing, using a quiz sheet of not more than two pages for any principal item. The results obtained during the National Fuel Efficiency Program in many types of plants further demonstrated that the short quiz sheet is satisfactorily appropriate and does accomplish results. Each sheet was prepared and checked by many engineers expert in the particular subject matter of the sheet. Committees of men with much experience in the manufacture and operation of equipment and in the

Jan 1, 1947

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

Electrical apparatus because of its flexibility and its adaptability to all classes of service has become essential to the mining industry. Hence the problem of providing electrical equipment that is safe for use in explosive mixtures of methane and air is of prime importance in coal mining. Ilwestigatorsand experiment stations early recognized this fact and much work has been done in the investigation and the development of electrical apparatus for use in atmospheres containing fire damp. The term "fire damp" as applied throughout this bulletin means an explosive mixture of methane and air. Direct-current motors and alternating-current motors of the slipring type when running usually give off electric arcs or flashes that will ignite fire damp. Other 'motors that ha,'e no moving electric contacts may become dangerous through accident, deterioration, or neglect. Auxiliary apparatus such as fuses, switches, rheostats, and controllers may arc, flash, or become heated to snch a degree that fire damp can be ignited. Such equipment is still more dangerous when worn or out of repair. In the United States the development of apparatus for use in gaseous mines has been associated largely with coal-cutting equipment run by electricity. This is undoubtedly due to the use of such equipment at the face of the mine workings, where the chance of igniting fire damp is necessarily greatest. One American manufacturer built a coal-cutting equipment of the totally inclosed type for use in firo damp atmospheres in 1903. Another built similar equipment with special protective devices in 1906, for export. During the years 1910 and 1911, the Bureau of Mines at its Pittsburgh experiment station conducted a preliminary investigation of the safety of such protection as was then in use or under consideration. Five motors were submitted for this investigation, each having somewhat different methods of protection. The results of this investigation were published in Bulletin No. 4G.a

Jan 1, 1920

By Guy E. Dent, Hugo E. Kuehn

"SUMMARYFor making a comparison of magnetic surveys measured from the ground and from the air, Worcester County, Maryland, was chosen as a proving ground. Vertical magnetic intensities were observed on the ground, and total magnetic intensities were observed from the air. A comparison of the two magnetic maps reveals similar large magnetic features, but these are displaced in some instances by distances greater than a mile. Magnetic terrane in the two charts is of the same type but often differs greatly in respective characteristic features.The sacrifices in accuracy that may be expected from the use of different systems of diurnal magnetic corrections on ground observations constitute a part of this report.INTRODUCTIONThe value of magnetic surveys for gaining information concerning the crystalline basement is recognized increasingly. That this topography is often reflected to a major degree in the overlying sediments with certain offsetting is well understood. Even where such sediments are deep, the surface topography of upper formations often reflects this bedrock topography to a certain degree."

May 1, 1947

By J. W. Thompson

MINERALS OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION. The owner of minerals under a conveyance from the surface owner does not lose his right or his possession by mere nonusage of the minerals. McBeth v. Wetnight (Indiana), 106 Northeastern, 407, p. 410, October, 1914. QUIETING TITLE TO MINERALS-PLEADING. A complaint in an action to quiet title to minerals and to the min- eral rights in certain land is insufficient in the absence of a direct allegation of possession, although it avers that the plaintiff from the time of receiving the conveyance assessed the mineral interest for taxes each year and paid the taxes thereon and exercised various acts of ownership of such mineral interests, in that he caused test pits to be dug on the land for the purpose of exploring the minerals and ascertaining their quality and extent, in going upon the land and looking after them from time to time, and that he accompanied or caused his agents to accompany prospective purchasers of such mineral interests and exhibited the same to such prospective pur- chasers in efforts to sell them. Fowler r. Alabama Iron & Steel Co. (Alabama), 66 Southern, 672, p. 673, Novem- ber, 1914. SALE BY MARRIED WOMAN-VALIDITY. A conveyance by a married woman of the mineral rights in certain described land is void where she had previously conveyed the land to another grantee who had acquired title by adverse possession under the deed.

Jan 1, 1915

Objective: On-the-job training (OJT) is a common means of training workers. By definition, it seems relatively simple. However, to be effective, training must go beyond the simple process of following an experienced worker around the workplace— sometimes called the "follow Joe" method. NIOSH researchers spoke with human resources personnel, safety and health specialists, supervisors, experienced miners, and new miners and found that OJT was of high interest, but was rarely part of a formal or standardized program. Various training methods have evolved to ensure that a trainee will absorb the information presented rather than simply emulate what the instructor is teaching. These methods have been brought together into a published guide for developing an effective formalized OJT program. The guide (Information Circular (IC) 9479) is called "Coaching Skills for On-the-Job Trainers." It contains materials and suggestions for your company or mine to conduct a 1-day workshop for teaching OJT trainers how to be better coaches to less experienced workers. The guide was created by the NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory and a safety professional from a private mining company.

Feb 1, 2006

By Donald J. Keefe

The Remote Working Level Monitor (RWLM) is an instrument used to remotely monitor the Rn-daughter concentrations and the Working Level (WL). It is an ac powered, microprocessor based instrument which multiplexes two independent detector units to a single central processor unit (CPU). The CPU controls the actuation of the detector units and processes and outputs the data received from these remote detector units. The remote detector units are fully automated and require no manual operation once they are set up. They detect and separate the alpha emitters of RaA and RaC' as well as detecting the beta emitters of RaB and RaC. The resultant pulses from these detected radioisotope; are transmitted to the CPU for processing. The programmed microprocessor performs the mathematical manipulations necessary to output accurate Rn-daughter concentrations and the WL. A special subroutine within the program enables the RWLM to run and output a calibration procedure on command. The data resulting from this request can then be processed in a separate program on most computers capable of BASIC programming. The calibration program results in the derivation of coefficients and beta efficiencies which provides calibrated coefficients and beta efficiencies.

Jan 1, 1977

By Richard D. Miller

This publication contains routine analyses and related source data for 434 gas samples from 16 States. These samples were collected during calendar year 1961 as part of the continuous survey for the occurrence of helium in natural gas conducted by the Helium Activity of the Bureau of Mines. The analyses herein were made by mass spectrometer and Frost helium apparatus. The most important helium resource discovery made during 1961 was the Table Mesa field in San Juan County, N. Mex. This field, Which has an estimated recoverable helium reserve of 850 million cubic feet, is now supplying gas containing approximately 5.4 percent helium to the Bureau of Mines Navajo Helium Plant at Shiprock, N. Mex.

Jan 1, 1964

By Richard D. Miller

This publication contains routine analyses and related source data for 434 gas samples from 16 States. These samples were collected during calendar year 1961 as part of the continuous survey for the occurrence of helium in natural gas conducted by the Helium Activity of the Bureau of Mines. The analyses herein were made by mass spectrometer and Frost helium apparatus. The most important helium resource discovery made during 1961 was the Table Mesa field in San Juan County, N. Mex. This field, Which has an estimated recoverable helium reserve of 850 million cubic feet, is now supplying gas containing approximately 5.4 percent helium to the Bureau of Mines Navajo Helium Plant at Shiprock, N. Mex.

Jan 1, 1964

By E. C. Lane

This paper is the first putt of a report giving the results of the Bureau of Mines' twenty-third semiannual survey of motor gasoline marketed in the United States. A companion report, Part II, is in preparation and will give a more detailed discussion of the whole survey. Results of the determination of copper-strip corrosion, color, sulphur content, copper-dish evaporation residue, and gum content as given by the Bureau of Mines steam-oven method will be presented in the second paper, which will also include the prevailing retail price and the tax at the time the sample was taken. This paper deals specifically with data relative to gravity, Reid vapor pressure,' and distillation (method 100.13).6 The samples tested were divided into "competitive-price gasolines" and "premium-price motor fuels," a method of presentation that was begun with the twenty-second semiannual survey. A total of 312 samples were collected from service station pumps in 20 cities throughout the United States. Of this number of samples, 207 were "com-petitive-price gasolines" and 106 were "premium-price motor fuels." All of the samples were collected in March, 1931, and analyzed at the Petroleum Experiment Station of the United States Bureau of Mines at Bartlesville, Okla. "Competitive-price gasoline" includes those fuels that are sold at the generally recognized local base price and all fuels that are sold below that price. All fuels that are sold at an advance over the generally recognized base price are placed in the class of "premium-price motor fuels." These fuels include Ethyl gasolines, benzol blends, "high-test" fuels, and those fuels that owe their "anti-knock" rating to the process of manufacture rather than to the addition of other material such as Ethyl fluid or benzol. The term "high-test" is generally applied to motor fuels that are more volatile than the regular competitive-price gasolines. "High-test" fuels may also have a high anti-knock rating.

Jan 1, 1931