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By Eleanor Abshire

THIS PUBLICATION is the third to be prepared as a result of a cooperative project by the Bureau of Ships and the Bureau of Mines for accumulating literature published on zirconium and hafnium. The undertaking also resulted in the establishment of an information center on zirconium and hafnium at the Bureau of Mines station at Albany, Oreg., for the use of research organizations and others. The present bibliography consists of references (with abstracts) to pertinent literature on zirconium. The first publication in this series was Information Circular 7771, Bibliography of Zirconium, published in April 1957. It consists of 969 abstracted reports and 645 U.S. and foreign patents. The second publication, called a supplement to Information Circular 7771, is numbered Information Circular 7830 and consists of 844 abstracted reports and 62 U.S. and foreign patents. It was published in October 1958.

Jan 1, 1962

By A. D. Garman

This paper presents one of a series of digests of foreign mining legislation and court decisions which is being prepared in advance of a general report relative to the right of American citizens to explore for minerals and to own and operate mines in various foreign countries . This interpretation of the laws of El Salvador has been prepared from the best available information in Washington , but is released subject to correction and amplification , if necessary , by the proper American diplomatic and consular officers to whom it is being referred through the courtesy of the Department of State . Under the terms of the Code of Commerce ( arts . 12ff . ) , foreigners living in El Salvador can engage in business on the same terms as nationals . This involves ( = $434.00 ) - except for those with a working capital , of less than a thousand pesos inscription in the merchants ' register , which can be refused only in case of manifest disability of a permanent nature .

Sep 1, 1930

By William Y. Mo

This Information Circular provides a detailed background documentation of how the Bureau of Mines projects U.S. mineral demand to the year 2000. These statistical projections serve as a quantitative basis for contingency forecasting of the low, high, and probable U.S. demand for nonfuel minerals by end-use categories and are published in the Bureau of Mines Mineral Commodity Profiles and Mineral Farts and Problems series. Aluminum is used as an example in this study.

Jan 1, 1980

By Richard L. Fischer

Constant-volume charges of precipitated PETN (pentaeythrite tetranitrate) at three specific gravities (0.50, 1.00, and 1.50) were used in laboratory tests to examine the effects of changes in explosive properties on free-surface displacement pulses and on crater dimensions. The tests were performed in large blocks of cement-mortar. The values for the detonation velocity, detonation pressure, specific energy, energy density, and energy release rate were calculated from the explosive loading density. Calculated explosive properties were correlated with free-surface displacement pulse measurements, strain energy, and measured crater dimensions. Increases in explosive properties resulted in increased free-surface displacement pulse parameters and crater dimensions. The loading density, detonation velocity, energy density, detonation pressure, and energy release rate were found to be best indicators of explosive performance. Simple acoustic relationships involving impedance ratios were examined and could not be used to predict peak displacement amplitude or strain energy. Data are presented in the customary English units as well as the International System of Units (SI).

Jan 1, 1970

Develop a training program to help mine workers effectively fight small fires in underground Goal mines. Training would enable miners to make rapid judgments on whether to attempt extinguishment, and how best to use the firefighting equipment on hand. Approach Fire reports were analyzed to define and delineate physical and behavioral variables which affect firefighting activities, and to determine effective procedures for extinguishing small fires. A course was then designed to train miners in such procedures. Finally, the course was reviewed by industry experts and administered to a group of miners to determine needed revisions and to validate the course. How It Works Analysis of fire data showed that six items should be emphasized in teaching proper fire response: 1. Alertness to fire potential. 2. Immediate power cutoff. 3. Internal, external communication. 4. Teamwork in fighting fires. 5. Role of ventilation and position of men inby the fresh air side. 6. Effective use of fire suppressant materials.

Jan 1, 1983

By Harry W. Campbell

A mineral survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1983 identified no mineral resources in the Beaver Meadows, Blind Horse Creek, Chute Mountain, Deep Creek/Battle Creek, and North Fork of Sun River Wilderness Study Areas (WSA's). A prospect east of the Beaver Meadows WSA has low potential for lead resources. Sand, gravel, and limestone occurrences are numerous in the WSA's; however, similar or better quality materials outside the areas are abundant and more accessible to potential markets. Impure coal and titaniferous-magnetite occurrences are near the WSA's, but are not known to occur within these areas. In 1983, there were 7,025 acres leased for oil and gas within the five WSA's; no current mining claims were in or near any of the WSA's. Evidence of mining activity was found at only one prospect in the WSA's. It is inside the Deep Creek/Battle Creek WSA; no resources or resource potential were identified at this prospect.

Jan 1, 1984

By Thomas Novak, Robert Goldstein

The analysis of a machine-luminaire configuration is a time- consuming process requiring the construction of a machine mockup, installation of a designated lighting arrangement, and an extensive set of illumination measurements. This entire process, however, is well suited to computer analysis. By simulating the machine geometry and the characteristics of the desired luminaires, the incident light levels can be calculated at the required set of points. This Bureau of Mines paper presents a general description of the techniques involved in performing this simulation.

Develop a 22-ton capacity temporary mine roof support light enough to be easily lifted and transported manually from one place to another. Approach Several potential approaches were investigated in developing a new temporary support. An all-hydraulic, high-strength aluminum design was chosen as the best. The support was designed, fabricated, and tested in several mines. The first units, built for 6- to 8-foot seam heights, have a load- bearing capacity of 22 tons, and weigh only 55 pounds. How It Works The lightweight hydraulic support is designed for use in any temporary support situation in place of wood posts or steel mechanical or hydraulic supports. This includes use prior to roof bolting in room and pillar mining and in longwall development sections, use as head and tailgate supports for a longwall, and use as turn posts and breaker posts in retreat mining operations. The supports feature a release valve for quick manual extension to roof level, a lanyard

Jan 1, 1983

By Edward Keller

The work covered by this report was undertaken at the request of Dr. J. A. Holmes, late Director of the Bureau of Mines, to whom the writer had been recommended by C. W. Goodale and E. P. Mathewson, of Butte and Anaconda, Mont. The director's offer was accepted for the honor it conferred and for the useful results that might be promulgated by the work in the technical field covered. The investigation was facilitated by permission to visit various works and sometimes by contributions of important definite information on a given subject. It is therefore with pleasure that acknowledgment of courtesies is made to the following corporations and gentlemen: Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Raritan Copper Works, Baltimore Copper Smelting & Rolling Co., United States Refining Co., American Smelting & Refining Co., B. B. Thayer, A. C. Clark, A. L. Walker, William H. Peirce, E. A. Cappelen Smith, H. H. Alexander, F. C. Newton, S. Rolle, R. "V. Deacon, N. W. Pierce, O. C. Martin, C. N. Sappington, James K Thomson, W. G. Derby, and the assistants of the writer, K. 1V.McComas and W. L. Raup. In this report considerable space has been devoted to general and theoretical principles on the ground that under modern conditions the best results in any field of activity can be attained only with the aid of an adequate knowledge of the best theories underlying the practice. The diffusion of such knowledge in the field of sampling metallic metallurgical materials appears to have been quite insufficient, and it is felt that when the principles involved are once thoroughly comprehended their universal application will be appreciated, so that it will make no difference whether pig iron or gold bullion is offered for test. It may further be noted that a discussion of the theories underlying practical methods is placed under the caption "Practical Sampling," with the idea that no one can be a practical sampler unless he is capable of analyzing his methods. No attempt has been made to advocate anyone method, but it is hoped that the analyses of all of the methods in use will show where each may be correctly and safely applied. The fact that it is possible to demonstrate the theoretical correctness of several methods indicates the invalidity of the claim that any single one of them is the standard.

Jan 1, 1916

By R. W. Stahl

A survey of firefighting facilities and practices in coal mines conducted by the Bureau of Mines3/ showed such variations in equipment and apparent attitude toward fire protection that a comparison with other industry seemed advisable. Although other industry is confined generally to surface operations and the hazards probably are not as great, the same general methods of extinguishment are employed, so that the cost and protection at least should be comparable. An investigation of industry other than mines revealed a generally greater emphasis placed on fire-combating equipment, fire-brigade training, fire-fighting facility inspection, and fire-hazard elimination, as well as a greater average expenditure for fire protection.

Jan 1, 1959

By Edward Keller

The work covered by this report was undertaken at the request of Dr. J. A. Holmes, late Director of the Bureau of Mines, to whom the writer had been recommended by C. W. Goodale and E. P. Mathewson, of Butte and Anaconda, Mont. The director's offer was accepted for the honor it conferred and for the useful results that might be promulgated by the work in the technical field covered. The investigation was facilitated by permission to visit various works and sometimes by contributions of important definite information on a given subject. It is therefore with pleasure that acknowledgment of courtesies is made to the following corporations and gentlemen: Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Raritan Copper Works, Baltimore Copper Smelting & Rolling Co., United States Refining Co., American Smelting &, Refining Co., B. B. Thayer, A. C. Clark, A. L. Walker, William H. Peirce, E. A. Cappelen Smith, H. H. Alexander, F. C. Newton, S. Rolle, R. W. Deacon, N. W. Pierce, O. C. Martin, C. N. Sappington, James K. Thomson, W. G. Derby, and the assistants of the writer, K. W. McComas and W. L. Raup. In this report considerable space has been devoted to general and theoretical principles on the ground that under modern conditions the best results in any field of activity can be attained only with the a. id of an adequate knowledge of the best theories underlying the practice. The diffusion of such knowledge in the field of sampling metallic metallurgical materials appears to have been quite insufficient, and it is felt that when the principles involved are once thoroughly comprehended their universal application will be appreciated, so that it will make no difference whether pig iron or gold bullion is offered for test. It may further be noted that a discussion of the theories underlying practical methods is placed under the caption "Practical Sampling," with the idea that no one can be a practical sampler unless he is capable of analyzing his methods. No attempt has been made to advocate any one method, but it is hoped that the analyses of all of the methods in use will show where each may be correctly and safely applied. The fact that it is possible to demonstrate the theoretical correctness of several methods indicates the invalidity of the claim that any single one of them is the standard.

Jan 1, 1916

By David E. Nicholson

In a Bureau of Mines investigation of the dynamic compaction of mine hydraulic backfills, two basic forms of mechanical vibration inducers were used and compared for effectiveness of compaction. Internal compaction, using concrete probe vibrators of various sizes, and external compaction, using plate vibrators} were studied and evaluated for use in underground stopes. An aluminum plate, which was light and displaced sufficient volume to remain afloat in fluid fill, and a steel plate were both used in the external compaction tests. Efficiency of compaction was better in studies conducted with internal probe vibrators. Tests were conducted in an underground backfilled stope with three different-sized probe vibrators (2-, 4-, and 6-inch-diameter) to determine an approximate area of influence. Results showed the areas of influence to be approximately 3, 4, and 5 feet in diameter, respectively, for the three different probes. Physical properties of hydraulic slurries were determined; preferred grain-size distributions, water exudation properties, and water contents of hydraulic slurries are reported. The best compaction results were obtained with moderately well-graded, fully saturated backfills, with slow rates of water exudation, which were capable of remaining in a semifluid state during the compaction process.

Jan 1, 1967

By M. M. Fine

This report describes a Bureau of Mines technical feasibility study of simultaneous reduction and induration of pelletized iron ore to make a product with superior qualities as blast-furnace feed. Highly reduced, physically competent pellets can be made from magnetite and specularite concentrates that contain small additions of bentonite as binder. In batch tests, pellets were dried, surrounded with solid fuel in crucibles, and heated to the reducing temperature. Total iron content of the best products was higher than 80 percent and crushing strength of 1/2-inch metallized pellets ranged up to 600 pounds or more. Comparative tests of several commercial oxide pellets showed a wide range in crushing strengths, but most values were less than 350 pounds. Continuous tests in a rotary kiln resulted in the same degree of reduction, but the pellets had lower crushing strengths because of the limitations in the maximum operating temperature of the small kiln.

Jan 1, 1962

By B. V. Johnson

The Federal Bureau of Mines has conducted research in support of the National Aeronautical and Space Administration's (NASA) Apollo program to acquire fundamental scientific and engineering knowledge of lunar-mineral resources for NASA's Office of Advanced Research and Technology. Equipment and techniques were developed to conduct soil shear tests in a simulated lunar environment. Shear tests performed with this equipment in ultrahigh vacuum and controlled laboratory atmosphere showed that simulated lunar soil increased in strength in the simulated lunar environment.

Jan 1, 1973

By McHenry Mosier

The Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior, has established a testing adit on the Government reservation at Mount Weather, Virginia, to facilitate research on the fundamentals of mining under actual metal-mining conditions. A number of sites in several Eastern States were investigated, but Mount Weather was selected because the rock seemed best suited for rock drilling and other mining tests and because the ground was already owned by the Federal Government, the site having been acquired in 1902 for use of the Weather Bureau. The testing adit has an advantage over an active metal mine for certain investigations because variable conditions affecting any particular research problem can be controlled and maintained in a fixed status, whereas in an operating mine this seldom is feasible. Operations were begin in September 1936, with a crew of four laborers under a resident engineer. The laborers were recruited from nearby farms, and although they had no previous mining experience, they have developed into satisfactory miners.

Jan 1, 1939

By Martin H. Stanczyk

The Bureau of Mines studied continuous closed-circuit attrition grinding of a coarse commercial filler-grade kaolin to produce paper-coating-grade clay having a particle size analysis of at least 70 percent minus 2-micron equivalent spherical diameter (esd). The coarse clay, containing about 12 percent minus 2-micron-esd material, was ground in a Bureau-developed 10-inch-diameter attrition grinder in closed circuit with a 5-foot-diameter bowl classifier. In the best test, a finished product containing 82.7 percent minus 2-micron-esd material was obtained when grinding 20 pounds of raw clay per hour at percent solids with a 100-percent circulating load. Energy consumption was about 341 kilowatt-hours per ton of clay feed, or 487 kilowatt-hours per ton of minus 2-micron-esd material produced. Closed-circuit grinding gave some-what greater particle size reduction and lower energy consumption than either batch or continuous open-circuit grinding.

Jan 1, 1965

By Maureen M. Foss

Underground coal mining is hazardous due to changing geological conditions. One geophysical method showing promise for in-seam hazard detection is ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The Bureau of Mines recently completed preliminary studies to demonstrate the feasibility of using GPR for in-seam hazard detection. Investigations included air and coal tests for the purpose of checking equipment accuracy, coal penetration, and other factors such as the effects of receiver orientation. Further investigations involved using both a short pulse and a new prototype synthetic-pulse system to locate a clay vein in a coal seam using trans-illumination. Data were gathered on multiple travel paths, and a back projection processing technique was then used to create a tomographic image using the calculated velocities. A computer model of the same coal seam was subsequently processed using the same tomographic tech-nique, and the results were compared with those of the actual data. Analysis of the tomographic images shows the presence of the clay vein, although its boundaries are unclear due to the tomography method used. Results of these preliminary studies show that GPR is feasible for use in in-seam hazard detection and point the direction that future research should take. A need has been shown for research involving more sophisticated tomography techniques, transmission studies on thicker coal seams, and reflection studies using the synthetic-pulse system.

Jan 1, 1987

By A. D. Garman

This paper presents one of a series of digests of foreign mining legislation and court decisions which is being prepared in advance of a general report relative to the right of American citizens to explore for minerals and to own and operate mines in various foreign countries. This interpretation of the laws of Colombia has been prepared from the best available information in Washington, but is released subject to correction and amplification; if necessary, by the proper American diplomatic and consular officers to whom it is being referred through the courtesy of the Department of State. SYNOPSIS OF LAW Minerals in Colombia belong to the owner of the soil unless otherwise provided in the law. The following lands and deposits, however, are described as fiscal property of the State: Class 1. The public lands, mines, and salines which belong to the individual States (now Departments) prier to the adoption of the present constitution (1886).

Jan 1, 1929

By Christopher Mark, Anthony T. Iannacchione

Falls of ground continue to be one of the most serious causes of injury to U.S. miners. Of the 256 fatal injuries that occurred in mining between 1996 and 1998, 59 (23%) were caused by falls of ground (Table 23.1). Falls of ground affect some sectors of the mining industry more severely than others. For instance, nearly 40% of the 98 coal mine fatalities between 1996 and 1998 were caused by falls of ground. Underground miners are at much greater risk than surface miners. Nearly half (45 out of 101) of underground mine fatalities were attributed to roof, rib, and face falls, while only 6% of the 155 surface fatalities were caused by falls of highwalls or slopes. The goal of this chapter is to provide guidance to safety professionals tasked with preventing ground fall injuries. This chapter combines an analysis of the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MS HA) accident and injury data with a survey of industry "best practices" to safeguard miners from ground falls. Ultimately, this approach can help to form the basis of a sound, proactive ground control program for the mining industry. SOURCES OF DATA All the injury data examined in this study were derived from MSHA's fatal investigation reports and the MSHA accident database. Because falls of ground often result in serious injury, MSHA "Fatalgrams" and fatal investigation reports provide a useful snapshot of ground control issues in the mining industry. These reports are available to the public (on the M FHA Web site at www.msha.gov). Fatalgrams, are one-page summaries that are usually published within a month of an accident. They contain very basic information about the accident with a graphic and a short section on relevant best practices. Fatal investigation reports are the official accident investigation reports filed by MSHA personnel. These reports contain general information about the mine, a, description of the accident, physical factors involved in the accident, a conclusion, and enforcement actions, Enforcement actions typically identify citations and discuss violations to the Federal Mining Law. MSHA also maintains comprehensive statistical data on the mining industry's accident and injury record. The law requires that mines file a report on every reportable accident that occurs, containing information on the accident's location, severity, classification, activity, and nature of injury A short narrative is generally included as well. Accident reports can be searched by many of the above fields.

The Bureau of Mines conducted a field study of respirable dust concentrations at an underground room-and-pillar oil shale mine and at the aboveground milling facility to determine the dust generation sources, personal respirable exposure, characteristic minerals, and size distribution of the dust. Major dust sources in the mine were the scaling and blasthole drilling operations, and major dust sources in the processing mill were the screening and crushing operations. Principal minerals found in the airborne respirable dust were albite, analcite, calcite, dolomite, quartz, and orthoclase. The average alpha-quartz content of mine and mill respirable dust samples was 4.1 pct and 15.5 pct, respectively. Carbonaceous material such as diesel particulate accounted for approximately 75 pct of the respirable particulate found in the mine. The average coefficient of variance of respirable dust concentrations measured with approved personal dust samplers in the mine and mill was 7.6 pct, the best precision observed to date with the personal dust sampler operated in the field.

Jan 1, 1977